Erika Santos continues to be a thorn for ZUS Coffee as Cignal hands them their first loss

The Cignal Super Spikers are beginning to hit their stride in the second phase of the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference, punctuating their surge with a sweep of the previously unbeaten ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, 25–12, 26–24, 25–23, on Thursday, November 13, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The victory bolstered Cignal’s push for a quarterfinal berth.

Rookie sensation Erika Santos once again took center stage, delivering 19 points built on 13 attacks, three aces, and three blocks. Her final two points proved crucial in helping Cignal close out the tight third set.

“Siyempre, thankful ako kasi ‘yun nga, ‘yung trust na binibigay sa akin ng mga teammates ko buo. Nag-stick lang kami sa game namin and thankful ako na nag-work naman,” Santos said in the post-match press conference.

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Santos has consistently caused problems for ZUS Coffee, which has emerged as her favorite foil since she turned pro. She fired a career-high 30 points against the Thunderbelles during her MVP run in the 2025 PVL On Tour and tallied 21 more in their meeting during the 2025 PVL Invitational Conference.

Erika Santos expressed her delight after Cignal secured a big win over the ZUS, while Vanie Gandler, who stepped up in the third set, was also thrilled to have contributed to the team’s victory to stay alive in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinal race. |#PVL2025 pic.twitter.com/kwpAOU94gN

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Still, the 26-year-old stressed that she never zeroes in on a particular opponent, choosing instead to focus on building chemistry with her squad.

“Honestly, hindi naman ako tumitingin sa team. Siguro, kung ano ‘yung nilalaro ng kasama ko and kung paano kami nagje-jell, siguro ‘yun ‘yung focus. Other than that, thankful kasi every time na may game against ZUS mas maganda naman ‘yung nagiging resulta,” she added.

Cignal’s latest triumph also marked the second time this season that the team snapped an unbeaten run, having halted PLDT’s 15-match streak on October 21 in the All-Filipino Conference—a stretch that included two championships in the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference.

Behind Santos’ steady rise, Cignal extended its own unbeaten streak in the second round and improved to 4–3 to climb to fifth in the standings. The Super Spikers aim to sustain their momentum when they take on powerhouse Creamline Cool Smashers on Tuesday, November 18, at the Ynares Center in Montalban.

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