Chery Tiggo advances to quarterfinals with sweep of ZUS Coffee

Chery Tiggo Crossovers secured their place in the quarterfinals of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference with a commanding straight-sets victory over the winless ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

After a grueling five-set loss to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans earlier in the week, the Crossovers rebounded in style, improving their record to 5-2. This win not only ensures their advancement to the knockout phase but also temporarily places them in fourth position behind Akari (7-0), Cignal (6-1), and PLDT (5-1).

Chery Tiggo controlled the match from the start, with only a few moments of resistance from ZUS Coffee in the third set.

The Thunderbelles, now 0-7, struggled to find their rhythm against the well-organized Crossovers, who dominated both in attack and defense.

Import Kath Bell once again led the charge for Chery Tiggo, delivering 28 points, marking her third-best performance of the conference.

Bell’s powerful hits and decisive plays, particularly in the closing stages of the sets, were crucial in maintaining the Crossovers’ momentum.

“I’m so proud of the team. I admire their attitude and motivation to bounce back. They really worked hard,” Bell said, reflecting on the team’s efforts following their recent defeat.

Chery Tiggo coach Kungfu Reyes acknowledged the importance of the victory but emphasized the need for further improvements as they prepare for tougher competition in the quarterfinals.

“Even though we won, there are still many adjustments to be made,” Reyes said. “We’ll review our plays for the quarters. While our play patterns were effective today, we need to address some lapses in our training sessions.”

Supporting Bell’s stellar performance, Mylene Paat contributed 11 points, while Cess Robles added seven markers.

Cza Carandang, Seth Rodriguez, and Pauline Gaston each chipped in four points, rounding out a well-balanced attack for the Crossovers.

For the struggling ZUS Coffee, Asaka Tamaru led the way with 12 points, while Michelle Gamit added nine.

Sharya Ancheta, Gayle Pascual, and Dolly Verzosa combined for 13 points, but their efforts fell short as the Thunderbelles failed to secure a single set.

With this defeat, the Thunderbelles are now officially out of playoff contention, having suffered their seventh straight loss.

Chery Tiggo will conclude their crossover round against Petro Gazz on Thursday, looking to fine-tune their game and secure a favorable position heading into the quarterfinals.

Upcoming Games: Tuesday (FilOil EcoOil Centre, San Juan)

1 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs. Capital1

3 p.m. – Nxled vs. Cignal

5 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs. Akari