Power hitter Myla Pablo gets the chance to showcase her wares as Motolite kicks off its campaign against PacificTown Army today (Saturday) even as BaliPure and Banko-Perlas tangle in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Flying V Center in San Juan.
The Power Builders look formidable with Pablo, a two-time Conference MVP and three-time Finals MVP with Pocari Sweat, and imports Edina Selimovic of Bosnia and Trinidad and Tobago’s Channon Thompson as spearheads of the powerhouse squad that also includes Isa Molde, Joy Soyud, Fenela Emnas and Diana Carlos.
The Army Lady Troopers actually made quite an impression with a four-set victory over the BaliPure Water Defenders in the inaugurals of the third season of the country’s premier league last Sunday, only to yield a stinging straight-set defeat to a resurgent Creamline side last Wednesday.
But imports Olena Lymareva-Flink and Jennele Jordan and locals Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nene Bautista, MJ Balse-Pabayo, Royse Tubino and Jeannie delos Reyes are expected to regroup and put the Lady Troopers back on the winning track again in their 4 p.m. encounter.
The Water Defenders and the Perlas Spikers, meanwhile, try to get into the win column at each other’s expense as they collide in the 2 p.m. opener of another explosive twinbill in the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision and sponsored by Mikasa, Asics and KFC.
PetroGazz imposed its will early, scoring back-to-back victories over Creamline and BaliPure to seize the solo lead with the Cool Smashers and Lady Troopers at joint second with 1-1 cards.
While Pablo remains the top draw for Motolite, focus will also be on Selimovic, who is out to make up for her abbreviated stint with Pocari Sweat in 2017. The 6-3 middle blocker saw action in just two games, forced to quit with a torn hamstring while playing against BaliPure.
“It’s really hurtful for me but I’m back and I hope that I’m not gonna have the same issue again. I will finish this season,” said Selimovic, who after recovering from that injury helped power her club team back home to the championship.
Games can be viewed live via streaming on www.sports.abs-cbn.com/livestream/pvl and on S+A Channel 23.