Antipolo —Tots Carlos spiked a power-induced performance with an MVP win in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference even as Cignal HD forced a third game in the battle for third with a tough 25-18, 27-25, 22-25, 25-17 victory over Choco Mucho before a roaring packed crowd at the Ynares Center here on Friday.
Carlos, on whose force Creamline relied on all throughout the team’s finals run, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Conference for her sustained high-octane performance that helped propel the Cool Smashers to another unbeaten campaign.
Creamline was trying to complete a sweep of Petro Gazz and nine-game romp in the league’s compressed second pro staging at presstime last night.
Sharing the spotlight with Carlos, who normed 20.67 points before the best-of-three finals, were Cignal’s Ces Molina and Gretchel Soltones of Petro Gazz as best outside spikers; Rosely Doria and Ria Meneses, both of Cignal as best middle blockers; Cignal’s Gel Cayuna as best setter; and Dawn Macandili of F2 Logistics as best libero.
Carlos, the former UP stalwart, also bagged the best opposite spiker honors.
Meanwhile, the HD Spikers flashed the form that netted them a string of victories from the group prelims to the quarters, getting back at the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in four to level their series at one-game apiece.
Choco Mucho took the series opener, 25-17, 25-21, 21-25, 25-22, at the MOA Arena last Wednesday.
But the HD Spikers, with skipper Rachel Ann Daquis back in top form after an abbreviated stint in Game One due to cramps, took charge early, survived an extended second set duel then struck back from a third set defeat with a big finish in the fourth.
They never gave the Flying Titans the momentum they needed following that third set win, wresting control early behind Daquis, Molina, Doria and Jerrili Malabanan before sitting on an 18-14 cushion.
The HD Spikers took five of the next six points to all but settle the outcome at 23-15 and after Daquis countered Choco Mucho’s attack with her own blast, Jheck Dionela came through with a spectacular dig off Kat Tolentino’s assault, setting up Molina for the clincher against two defenders.