One Sports
Monday, February 24, 2025
The Cignal HD Spikers maintained their good start in the 2025 Spikers' Turf Open Conference after outlasting the Savouge Spin Doctors.
Jau Umandal, JP Bugaoan, and Owa Retamar anchor Cignal's defense against Savouge. | Photo: Spikers' Turf
The Cignal HD Spikers absorbed the best that the Savouge Spin Doctors had to offer and emerged victorious, securing a hard-fought 25-23, 27-25, 25-19 win in the 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The HD Spikers showcased their championship poise, overcoming errors and a determined challenge from the Spin Doctors to claim their second straight victory.
After surviving back-to-back tight sets, including an extended second frame, the defending champions pulled away late in the third. A 4-0 closing run – spearheaded by Steven Rotter, JP Bugaoan, and Martin Bugaoan – turned a shaky 20-18 lead into a commanding six-point advantage.
Charlee Magpayo momentarily halted Cignal’s momentum with a quick hit, but Wendel Miguel responded with a cross-court attack to seal the victory. The win was especially significant for the HD Spikers, who previously fell to Savouge in last year’s Invitational Conference.
“Of course, I’m happy we won against Savouge. But it was a close match from start to finish,” said Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor in Filipino.
“We committed a lot of errors, especially in our service,” he added, noting their 29 miscues. “Aside from those service errors, we also had some soft serves that allowed them to side-out more effectively.”
Former league MVP Jau Umandal, making his second straight start, led the HD Spikers with a game-high 17 points off 16 attacks while also contributing eight excellent receptions. Rotter and Miguel added 11 points apiece, while Owa Retamar tallied 11 excellent sets and chipped in three points.
With the win, Cignal temporarily wrested solo control with the HD Spikers aiming for a third straight victory against the winless VNS-Laticrete Griffisn on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Meanwhile, Savouge, which went toe-to-toe with Cignal throughout the match, dropped to a 1-1 record. No player from the Spin Doctors reached double digits, with Shawie Caritativo and Mark Calado finishing with eight and seven points, respectively. Caritativo also recorded 10 excellent receptions in the loss.
Savouge looks to bounce back against Alpha Insurance on Wednesday at 1 p.m.