Cignal recovered from an erratic second set as it turned back a gritty F2 Logistics side, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, to capture the bronze medal in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Sunday, July 30.

Cignal celebrates a point during their bronze-medal match against F2 Logistics in the PVL Invitational Conference. (PVL Images)

Setter Gel Cayuna provided the needed boost and confidence for the squad, distributing the ball well particularly late in the fourth frame where Jacqueline Acuna came off the bench and delivered the killing blows in the two-hour, 16-minute contest.

It was the HD Spikers’ third bronze-medal feat, having won a similar award in the 2022 Open and Invitational Conferences.

The podium finish is still an achievement as far as Cayuna and her teammates are concerned.

“Importante pa rin sa amin itong panalong ito kasi parang butas ng karayom yung dinaanan namin sa training this conference,” said Cayuna, who finished with 30 excellent sets apart from scoring six points including three aces.

“Nawala kasi kami sa podium eh, kaya trinabaho namin ito para makabalik ulit. Tiwala at composure talaga nagdala,” she added, referring to their sixth place finish in the All Filipino Conference early this year.

Through Cayuna’s all-around plays, three players scored in double figures for Cignal with Ces Molina and Jovelyn Gonzaga firing 19 and 18 points including a combined 29 kills. Roselyn Doria also contributed 10 points.

After dictating the pace in the opening set, Cignal found itself struggling in the second frame where it gave up 14 points on errors.

But the HD Spikers picked themselves up in the next two sets, attacking the Cargo Movers’ defense especially in the fourth frame where they held their comfortable 12-8 and 21-14 leads courtesy of Vannie Gandler and Gonzaga.

An attack error from Gandler briefly breathed life for F2 Logistics, but Acuna was quick to seal the match for the HD Spikers.

Ivy Lacsina and Aby Maraño paced the Cargo Movers with 16 and 10 points, but were not enough to bring the squad to victory.