Trailing in majority of the match against the Cignal HD Spikers, Eya Laure and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers banked on trust to pull off a straight-set shocker that bolstered their Final Four bid in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
In the thick of a heated semifinals race in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, every remaining game is a must win for the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
The Kungfu Reyes-led squad played with such urgency on Thursday night, carving out a hard-earned 26-24, 25-20, 26-24 victory over fellow contenders Cignal HD Spikers at the PhilSports Arena.
Chery Tiggo trailed Cignal in the majority of each set before kicking its engine into higher gear at the critical junctures to come away victorious.
Leading the charge for the Crossovers was hotshot Eya Laure, who underscored the role of trust in the close-shave sweep.
“Malaking bagay talaga na nagtutulungan. May bumibitaw pero may hihila pabalik. Isang malaking bagay po yun lalo na pag padulo na ‘yung game, ‘yung set. May nagre-remind din sa amin na kung ano pa ‘yung dapat gawin, ‘yung dapat pang resolbahin na dapat di na nangyayari,” said the younger of the Laure sisters, who poured 16 points and 13 excellent receptions.
“May mga malalaking factor na kung titignan minsan, maliit lang. Tap sa kakampi 'pag nagkamali, okay lang. ‘Di bababa ‘yung morale na okay lang magkamali ako. Meron pa namang kakampi na nagtitiwala pa rin sakin.”
That unwavering faith was most evident when the Crossovers found themselves mired in a precarious deficit in the opening set.
Down by three at 21-24, Alina Bicar ran a combination play with Laure and Pauline Gaston to perfection, igniting the fire from under Chery Tiggo. This instigated a set-clinching 5-0 run, setting the tone for the straight-set stunner, allowe the Crossovers to ascend to solo fifth place with a 6-2 record, while dragging down the HD Spikers to sixth seed with a 5-3 slate.
As the pursuit for a semis berth continues, Laure and Co are putting a premium on strengthening chemistry and cohesion.
“Every day work in progress naman. Siyempre iba-iba rin ‘yung mga setter namin. Lagi rin namin silang nakakasama. 'Yung mga techniques na walang sawa namang tinuturo sa amin, ‘yun, malaking bagay kasi nandiyan sila coach eh. May mga bagong play na, ‘Oh pag ito ‘yung kalaban, pwedeng ito gawin mo. Malaking bagay ‘yung guidance. Work in progress talaga ‘yung jelling inside and outside the court,” Laure said.
Laure and the rest of the Crossovers seek to extend their winning run to five when they take on the streaking PLDT High Speed Hitters on April 16, Tuesday.
The Crossovers will then take on the Akari Chargers and the Galeries Tower Highrisers to round up their preliminaries.