The Criss Cross King Crunchers regained their footing in the Spikers' Turf Invitational Conference with a sweep of the PGJC Navy Sealions.
Criss Cross bounced back with authority, sweeping PGJC Navy, 25-17, 25-18, 25-22, to reclaim fourth place in the Spikers' Turf Invitational Conference eliminations at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Friday.
After a tough five-set loss to the Cignal HD Spikers last Sunday, where the King Crunchers narrowly missed a comeback from two sets down, they quickly rebounded, dispatching the Sealions in just 85 minutes.
The victory pushed Criss Cross to a 3-1 record, level with Cignal, and reaffirmed its bid for the season-ending championship after coming up short in the Open Conference title race.
“Sobrang happy kasi nakuha namin ‘yung game pero hindi pa kasi nagtatapos ‘yung season eh so kailangan pang pukpukin ‘yung sarili namin sa training and then i-apply dito sa game,” said standout Jude Garcia, who followed his previous 35-point effort with 18 points, nine receptions, and five digs.
Criss Cross benefited from a well-rounded team performance, with Francis Saura and newcomer Nico Almendras adding 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Almendras also bolstered their defense with 17 excellent receptions, while setter and Player of the Game Ish Polvorosa orchestrated the attack with 17 excellent sets.
Polvorosa emphasized teamwork and adaptability as key factors, saying, “Our goal is for everyone to contribute, especially in scoring. But we also can’t overlook receiving and blocking, which made this a total team effort.”
Despite the PGJC Navy’s attempt to rally in the third set, coming within 22-24 after a nine-point deficit, they couldn’t withstand Chumason Njigha’s final hit, sealing their defeat.
Omar Lioc led the Sealions with 11 points, with Joeven Dela Vega adding 10.
Criss Cross now looks to build on this momentum against Martelli Meats on Wednesday, while PGJC Navy, now at 3-2, faces EcoOil La Salle on Sunday.
[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]