CHERY Tiggo battled through a grueling four-set duel of power, grit and composure, overcoming a stubborn Farm Fresh side, 29-27, 15-25, 25-22, 25-21, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday.

It took the Crossovers two hours and seven minutes to subdue the tenacious Foxies, who made them work for every point. But Chery Tiggo’s experience and poise in crunch time ultimately spelled the difference, sealing a best-of-three quarterfinal clash with powerhouse defending champion Creamline.

Coming off a three-game sweep of Nxled last Thursday, Chery Tiggo emerged as Pool B’s top team in the Play-In phase of the six-month-long tournament organized by Sports Vision. Yet despite the achievement, veteran hitter Ara Galang remained grounded, emphasizing that the real work has just begun.

“We’re happy to have reached the quarterfinals, but it doesn’t end here. We still have to keep working harder to achieve more wins,” said Galang, who posted 20 points and earned the Best Player of the Game award.

The Crossovers showed steely resolve after absorbing a lopsided second-set loss, keeping their composure in the final two sets where they fended off multiple Farm Fresh uprisings to put the game away.

“Our mindset was clear – we couldn’t afford to lose,” added Galang. “Even after we dropped the second set, we knew we still had a chance, and we just needed to stay composed. Thankfully, we got it done.”

But against the Cool Smashers, the Crossovers know they will need more than grit and resolve. Galang stressed the importance of improving their chemistry and firepower if they hope to contain Creamline’s imposing frontline.

“We need to jell more and polish our game,” said Galang.