THE victorious Cignal HD Spikers pose with their trophy, medals and a replica of their P100,000 cash prize with PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

IT didn’t take long for Cignal HD to get its throne back in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League.

In sweeping fashion, the HD Spikers hit two birds with one stone following a 27-25, 31-33, 25-16, 25-18 win over the Iloilo D’Navigators to reign supreme in the PNVF Champions League men’s division over the weekend at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

With a perfect 5-0 campaign, the HD Spikers clinched its second title in the PNVF and avenged the tough defeat of their women counterparts against Petro Gazz in the women’s final last week.

“It’s very fulfilling, last year we lost, we revamped with young enthusiastic and eager players who want to be champions,” Cignal HD coach Dexter Clamor said. “It’s definitely a satisfying and happy feeling.”

National men’s team spiker Joshua Umandal starred with a 28-point eruption on 23 attacks, four blocks and an ace — numbers that earned him the MVP honors.

He was also named the First Best Outside Hitter with teammates JP Bugaoan (Second Best Middle Blocker), who dropped 23 points in against Iloilo, and Gabriel EJ Casana (Best Setter) joining him in the Dream Team.

Iloilo’s Jayvee Sumagaysay emerged as the First Middle Blocker, his teammate John Benedict San Andres as the Second Best Outside Hitter, VNS Asereht’s Kevin Montemayor as Best Opposite Spiker and College of Saint Benilde’s Alvin Bryle Gomez as the Best Libero.

VNS was hailed with the Fair Play Award to cap the awardees in the men’s tilt of the PNVF backed by PLDT, Ayala Land, Nuvali, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+, Mikasa, Senoh, Foton, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Besides Umandal and team

 captain Bugaoan, Mark Frederick Calado and Lloyd Josafat also provided ample support with 11 and 10 points, respectively, as the HD Spikers finished off the D’Navigators in one hour and 48 minutes despite extended duels in the first two sets, 27-25 and 31-33.

The D’Navigators of veteran coach Rizalito Delmoro leaned on Kyle Villamor with 24 points while San Andres and Sumagaysay had 11 and 10 points, respectively, but they still fell short after also sweeping their way the finals.

Saint Benilde, meanwhile, scored a 25-18, 25-22, 26-24 victory over VNS in the bronze-medal match to complete the podium of the first event this year by the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

Savouge Spin Doctors swept Philippine Army, 25-16, 25-23, 25-21, for fifth place while PGJC Philippine Navy beat Philippine Air Force, 25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, for seventh place in the classification matches for the PNVF Champions League men’s final ranking.

COLLEGE of Saint Benilde caught the last bus to the playoffs with a big win against PGJC Philippine Navy at the close of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League eliminations Wednesday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Blazers had to dig deep though in scoring a 26-24, 25-22, 14-25, 25-22 win to join Cignal HD, Iloilo D’Navigators and VNS Asereht in the semifinals.

Saint Benilde lost to Cignal HD in the opener but bagged two crucial wins in a row to finish No. 2 in Pool A with a 2-1 won-lost record and dodge complications of making the next round with Savouge (1-2) and Navy (0-3).

“This was big for us as it dictated our playoff fates,” said coach Arnold Laniog, whose wards avoided a three-way tie at 1-2 with also-ran Savouge and Navy.

Jacob Herrera and Mike Balbacal fired 12 points each while James Marasigan chipped 11 to lead the Blazers’ march to the playoffs.

Saint Benilde will face unbeaten Pool B leader Iloilo while Pool A topnotcher Cignal HD and VNS duke it out in the other semifinals pairing of the PNVF tiff backed by PLDT, Ayala Land, Nuvali, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+, Mikasa, Senoh, Foton, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The Blazers vowed to give the D’Navigators a run for their money despite being a heavy underdog against the seasoned pro club for a shot at the crown.

“We joined the PNVF for exposure and experience,” Laniog said. “It’s a reward to be in the semifinals. Iloilo is tough and undefeated with a bevy of veterans but there’s no pressure on us and everything to gain,”

Cignal HD completed a sweep of Pool A with a 25-15, 25-16, 25-22 win over Savouge behind Joshua Umandal’s 11 points on nine hits and two aces.

All HD Spikers scored against the Spin Doctors in the 92-minute match.

“It’s one goal at a time—advance to the playoffs,” said coach Dexter Clamor whose HD Spikers are campaigning for redemption after losing their throne to the University of Santo Tomas Tigers last edition.

In another Pool B match, Army subdued Air Force in a battle of eliminated squads in Pool B, 25-19, 25-14, 19-25, 25-14, for a graceful exit in the first event of the year of the PNVF headed by president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

THE Petro Gazz Angels with their Japanese coach Koji Tsuzurabara and Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

TALK about efficiency and Petro Gazz got many as the Angels crowned themselves the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League queens of 2024.

But they’re just starting to get energized.

“I do believe that we’re a force to be reckoned with moving forward,” said Brooke Van Sickle after her team’s 25-19, 27-25, 25-22 final victory over Cignal HD on Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“We’re slowly proving ourselves and we’re building confidence slowly as each day goes by,” said the 25-year-old Filipino-American who immediately made her mark in her first tournament before Filipino fans by spiking her way to the Most Valuable Player award in the Champions League.

“We’re building that team chemistry and everything,” added Van Sickle—a former Big West Conference MVP in the US NCAA—who was also the Best Open Hitter in the tournament supported by PLDT, Ayala Land, Nuvali, Cignal, One Sports, One Sports+, Mikasa, Senoh, Foton, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Japanese Koji Tsuzurabara also sent a statement in his Philippine coaching debut.

“We’re the challengers and my players gave me their best performance,” said Tsuzurabara, whose Angels could only settle for the bronze medal in the 2021 Champions League.

Before Cignal, Petro Gazz whipped Chery Tiggo in the semifinals also in straight sets, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, to get back against both teams who beat the Angels in the prelinaries.

Jonah Sabete (Second Best Open Hitter) and Remy Palma (Second Best Middle Blocker) were also instrumental for Petro Gazz in winning the first event of the year of the PNVF headed by president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

“There’s still more to come from what we’re working up. We’ve kind of touched the surface, but there’s a lot of cool things that Coach Koji wants to improve that we’re going to still work on.”

Winning individual awards were Aby Maraño (First Middle Blocker) of bronze medalist Chery Tiggo and Gayle Pascual (Best Opposite Spiker) of semifinalist College of Saint Benilde as well as Gel Cayuna (Best Setter) and Dawn Macandili-Catindig (Best Libero) of Cignal.

Saint Benilde, meanwhile, again earned the Fair Play Green Card Award—a system that rewards players or teams who admit to a fault that would forego a potential request for a video challenge—which they got in winning the Champions Cup last November.

Petro Gazz also earned the champion’s prize of P100,000, Cignal HD P70,000 and Chery Tiggo P50,000.

MANILA — University of Santo Tomas (UST) unleashed a lethal weapon in slaying Cignal and College of Saint Benilde played true to form to emerge men’s and women’s champions of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Challenge Cup on Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Joshua Ybañez, only 5-foot-6, was more than a David in UST’s lineup as he unleashed a high-flying and all-over-the-court act in the Tigers’ 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13 slaying of many-time club champion Cignal, which won the men’s tournament inaugurals last year.

“I still can’t believe we won against a top team Cignal,” said Ybañez, 20, who added the Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player trophy to his Rookie-MVP plum in Season 85 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

“But we won because of teamwork and of course, our coaches,” added the pride of General Santos City who had 26 points in the two-hour and 16-minute thriller.

If UST had to dig deep in scoring the upset, coach Gerry Yee and Saint Benilde

Benilde was tactical in beating the University of the Philippines (UP), 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, to reign supreme in women’s play.

The Lady Blazers, back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association champions, needed only 81 minutes to frustrate UP and complete a sweep of the 16-team women’s division of the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton, and CBPI.

“We joined the Challenge Cup to gear up for the NCAA and we’re very glad we won,” said Yee, whose wards never surrendered a set in the tournament. “We’re all inspired and boosted ahead of the NCAA.”

The Tigers were no lucky finalists—they ousted three-peat UAAP champion National University in the semifinals.

“Of course, it’s unreal. These are literally kids and their opponents are pros,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon, who also handles the men’s national team. “It’s part of our preparations for UAAP and evaluation of our updated playing system style. And this championship validated all of our systems.”

PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara thanked all 36 teams—men and women—for seeing action in the Challenge Cup, the federation’s second-to-last major tournament for the year.

“It’s been an exciting close to three weeks of volleyball action and I appreciate the enthusiasm of the athletes and teams who came from all over the country,” said Suzara.

Next up on the PNVF calendar is the season-ending Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge that gathers the world’s elite players in a brand-new and world-class five-court beach volleyball facility in the City of Santa Rosa starting this Thursday.

Ybañez also claimed the first-best outside hitter to join teammates Rey Miguel De Vega (Second Best Outside Hitter), Edlyn Paul Colinares (Second Best Middle Blocker), and Sherwin Umandal (Best Opposite Spiker) in the Super Team.

Completing the men’s awardees in the 20-team men’s division were JP Bugaoan (First Best Middle Blocker) and Manuel Sumanguid III (Best Libero) of Cignal as well as Jerome Lopez (Best Setter) of bronze medalist VNS Asereht.

NU, which finished fourth, received the Fair Play Green Card in the awarding ceremony graced by PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, secretary-general Don Caringal, national team commission chairman Tonyboy Liao and Cignal president and CEO Jane Basas.

Saint Benilde’s Wielyn Estoque was the Best Outside Hitter and Most Valuable Player in the women’s division with teammates Zamantha Nolasco (First Best Middle Blocker), Chenae Basarte (Best Setter) and Fiona Getigan (Best Libero).

Niña Ytang (Second Best Middle Blocker) and Stephanie Bustrillo (Best Opposite Spiker) of silver medalist UP as well as Lea Rizel Tapang (Second Best Outside Hitter) of third-placer Letran completed the women’s honor roll.

VNS Asereht beat NU, 32-34, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13, while Letran bested Philippine Air Force, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19, to clinch the men and women bronze medals, respectively.

(ai/mnm)