By this time, it’s safe to say that no streak is safe under Chery Tiggo’s watch.
After suffering a heart-wrenching straight-set loss to the Farm Fresh Foxies last March 9, that “wake-up call” lit a fire from under the Crossovers.
Chery Tiggo has never lost once since then, culminating in an ongoing five-game winning run.
Throughout such a dominant run of form, the Crossovers quelled not one, not two, but three win streaks of three top-contending teams.
Let’s revisit the games that earned Chery Tiggo the title of “Streak-Busters”.
Chery Tiggo ended Creamline’s 19-game streak
It all started in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Last March 16, Chery Tiggo carved out a monumental victory after dealing defending champion Creamline a straight-set 25-18, 26-24, 25-23 shocker at the Sta.Rosa Sports Complex.
The Crossovers halted the 19-game win streak of the Cool Smashers, who had last suffered a loss to Kurashiki Ablaze in the Finals of the 2023 Invitational Conference.
It also marked the first time Creamline absorbed a 0-3 beatdown since the league turned pro. The decorated club team’s last straight-set defeat came at the hands of the Petro Gazz Angels in the 2019 Reinforced Conference.
[RELATED: The last time Creamline was beaten: Looking back after Chery Tiggo's PVL stunner]
Eya Laure took charge on offense with a game-high 14 points, while Jen Nierva anchored on defense with 20 digs and 10 receptions.
This served as an emphatic bounce-back effort for the Aby Maraño-led squad, which was coming off the loss to Farm Fresh a week prior.
Chery Tiggo halted Petro Gazz’s three-game run
Less than a week after stunning Creamline, Chery Tiggo halted another winning streak.
Last March 21, on Eya Laure’s 25th birthday, the Crossovers snapped the three-game surge of the Petro Gazz Angels with a five-set 25-21, 18-25, 22-25, 25-19, 15-13 escape at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Laure and Co. delivered a balanced scoring thrust to weather the storm churned out by Brooke Van Sickle, who poured 27 points, 20 digs, and 12 receptions.
Eya came through once again with an all-around effort of 15 points, 12 digs, and eight receptions, while seven other Crossovers scored at least six in the winning cause.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Chery Tiggo makes sure Eya Laure receives perfect birthday present]
Chery Tiggo stopped PLDT’s five-game surge
Engaged in a tight race for the Final Four spots, Chery Tiggo needed to put a screeching halt to PLDT’s five-game winning run to kick its semis drive into higher gear.
The Crossovers did just that, after quelling Savi Davison and the High Speed Hitters with a straight-set 25-22, 25-16, 25-20 stunner at the PhilSports Arena on Tuesday, April 16.
The Laure sisters showed the way, with Eya delivering 12 points and seven digs while EJ collected 10 markers and seven receptions.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Eya Laure underscores Chery Tiggo’s collective effort behind five-game win streak]
Ara Galang also made her presence felt with nine points spiked by two blocks for the Crossovers, who withstood the 22-point, 10-dig outing of Davison.
As Chery Tiggo continues to blaze a trail of victories with undeniable momentum, Laure and the rest of the Crossovers seek to sustain their form in hopes of securing a coveted semis berth.
As it stands, Chery Tiggo holds a similar 7-2 record as fellow contenders Petro Gazz, Creamline, and its recent victim PLDT.
But by virtue of points and set ratio, the Crossovers (20 points) remain in fifth place, behind second-seeded Angels (22 points), Cool Smashers (21 points), and High Speed Hitters (20 points).
Kungfu Reyes and Eya Laure--the streak-busting duo
At the core of the streak-busters are two common factors: coach Kungfu Reyes and Eya Laure. Both have seemingly continued their career of ending runs sparked from UAAP Season 85.
In Eya Laure's last UAAP stint, the UST Golden Tigresses also ended not one, not two, but three streaks.
One, the Laure-led squad handed the then-defending champions NU Bulldogs their first defeat since Season 81.
Two, UST made sure there would be no sweep as the DSLU Lady Spikers tasted their first loss of the season.
And three, the Golden Tigresses secured their first elimination sweep of the Ateneo Blue Eagles since Season 71.
[ALSO READ: Rise As One: Most memorable moments of UAAP Season 85 women's volleyball]
"Actually ‘yung Player of the Game hindi ko naman ‘yun magagawa kung hindi dahil sa kanila," said Eya, who finished with 12 points on top of seven digs.
"Minsan nagtataka ako kung ako pa ba talaga ang Player of the Game kasi pwede i-consider kahit sino sa amin kasi nga ‘yung mga games na napapanalo namin is teamwork, hindi isa lang."
Next up for the Crossovers are the Akari Chargers on April 20, Saturday, before wrapping up their elimination round campaign against Galeries Tower Highrisers on April 25, Thursday.