Kenneth Daynata shines for the VNS Griffins in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference.
The young VNS Griffins upended the seasoned D’Navigators Iloilo with a hard-fought 25-22, 16-25, 25-19, 25-19 victory, staying in contention for a semifinal spot in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Sunday.
Despite sitting at seventh with a 3-4 record, the Griffins showed flashes of brilliance and a newfound maturity that has eluded them throughout the tournament.
Their ability to recover from a second-set meltdown and handle the pressure in the final two sets was the key to their triumph, keeping their slim semis hopes alive.
Kenneth Daynata put up a stellar performance, racking up 18 points, including five kill blocks, and adding 10 excellent receptions to earn Player of the Game honors.
Still, the Griffins face an uphill climb in their final two preliminary matches, facing off against the powerhouse Cignal HD Spikers on Friday and taking on the DN Steel FEU Ultras next Sunday.
Meanwhile, the ousted D’Navigators fell to 1-6 with the loss.
Madz Gampong led the D’Navigators with 15 points, while Kyle Villamor and Steven Sta. Maria added 14 points each and Vince Himzon finished with 11 markers.