By Abby Toralba
SHOWCASING its veteran smarts and composure, Chery Tiggo fought back from huge deficits yesterday to frustrate Farm Fresh 25-21, 25-23, 25-22 and gain a share of the lead in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
From a 15-20 deficit in the first set, the Crossovers went on a closing 10-1 run to fluster the Foxies and repeated the trick in the next two sets, battling back from a 23-24 count and a 10-18 hole to score the straight-sets win.
The tenacity of the Foxies surprised the Crossovers, who didn’t expect to go through a wringer in the one-hour, 31-minute encounter ranged against a team that didn’t score a win in five games in its PVL Invitational debut.
“Our first two sets were okay but I think we had a slow start in the third. But because of their (players’) determination, naitawid namin,” said Chery Tiggo coach Aaron Velez, whose wards moved into a tie for the early lead with opening day winners Creamline, Cignal and Nxled.
Coming off the bench, Cess Robles had 10 points, all but two coming in the Crossovers’ blistering run to tie the count at 18 in the third.
After an attacking error in the next play that enabled the Foxies to regain the lead, Robles came through with another hit to force another deadlock. The Crossovers then went to sisters Eya and EJ Laure, Pauline Gaston and middle hitter Imee Hernandez to overcome a 19-20 deficit on a decisive 6-1 finish.
“I just grabbed the opportunity na ibinigay sa kin. Tiwala din sa sarili at sa mga coaches,” said Robles. “Medyo me kulang pa sa communication but nakapag-adjust naman kami.”
Eya led Chery Tiggo with 14 points, EJ Laure had 13 points and Hernandez finished with eight markers while Gaston and Shaya Adorador chipped in four points apiece and setter Jasmine Nabor added three markers for the Crossovers.
“We had a slow start pero dun na-test ‘yung character namin, nakakapit,” said EJ Laure, whose off-the-block hit wrapped up the scrambling win.
Chery Tiggo, which finished fifth in the first conference, played without injured top gun Mylene Paat.
The Foxies went into the match brimming with confidence, seizing control late in the first set before the Crossovers scored seven straight points to fuel their fiery comeback.
