Chery drags Creamline into Game 3

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte, Philippines — Jaja Santiago delivered an MVP performance as Chery Tiggo turned back Creamline, 25-18, 17-25, 25-16, 25-21, last night to force a deciding Game Three in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference finals at the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center here.

Santiago, who honed her talent playing in Japan, did everything to keep the Crossovers alive with her relentless attacking and rock-solid blocking. They knotted the series at one game apiece and forced a Friday the 13th showdown at 3 p.m. today.

The Cool Smashers didn’t display the same spunk and grit they showed in a 25-15, 25-21, 18-25, 19-25, 15-7 win in the opener Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Petro Gazz overpowered a Maddie Madayag-less Choco Mucho side, 25-20, 25-18, 25-21, to clinch third place.

The Angels, who took Game One, 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 25-20, scored a sweep in the best-of-three series.

“Worth it lahat ng sakripisyo at yung mga paghihirap ng mga players or as a team doon sa bubble training namin going here. Tapos yung one month talaga na nandito kami, iba yung experience,” said Petro Gazz coach Arnold Laniog. “You are challenged mentally and emotionally.”

Choco Mucho relied fully on its bench to rest its weary starters after the Game One grind where the team lost Madayag to a knee injury sustained in the middle of the fourth set.

At press time, there’s still no word on the result of Madayag’s MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Medical Center in Batac.

The ploy to start Choco Mucho’s second stringers – Caitlyn Viray, Arianna May Angustia, Dancel Dusaran, Shannen Palec, Jamie Lavitoria and Kassandra Gequillana – paid off at the start with the team even taking an 18-14 lead.

But Myla Pablo put order in their game and willed her team to snatch the opening set.