Criollas regain 2nd place with 4-set victory.

Diana Reyes finished with 13 points for Caguas.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Criollas of Caguas notched a four-set victory over the Atenienses of Manatí at Roger Mendoza Coliseum in Caguas on Sunday night as the eighth week of the Women’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSF by its initials in Spanish) season drew to a close.

Snapping a three-game losing streak, Caguas picked up all three available points with the win and took over second place in the standings. The set scores were 25-23, 25-21, 17-25 and 25-23.

In the fourth set, Caguas took the lead at the second technical timeout, 16-15, after a service error by Manatí’s Emily Elliot. In the final stretch, the Criollas broke a 19-19 tie with a spike from zone four by Valeria Flores, followed by an attack fault by the Atenienses’ Karla Santos from the back row.

Then, a spike by Elliot that landed in the net from zone two and another offensive error by the Atenienses put the set within reach, 23-19.

The Criollas reached set point at 24-22 with Génesis Collazo connecting from zone two, and closed out the set and the victory 25-23 with a running attack by Diana Reyes.

Jenaisya Moore and Reyes led the Criollas’ offense with 19 and 13 points, respectively.

Elliot was the top scorer for Manatí with 32 points (31 on attacks and one ace), followed by Santos with 21 points.

Caguas improved to 9-10 with 29 points, displacing the Pinkin of Corozal (9-8 with 27 points) to third place.

The undefeated Cangrejeras of Santurce sit comfortably atop the LVSF standings with a 16-0 record and 45 points. The Atenienses remain in fourth place with a 7-11 record and 21 points.

Week 9 begins today with a single game on the schedule, when the Cangrejeras visit the fifth-place Leonas of Ponce (6-10, 19 points) at Salvador Dijols Stadium at 8 p.m.