CREAMLINE is honed in on its match against Gerflor even as Akari tries to cash in on a franchise-best start and Cignal and Choco Mucho tangle in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino elims at the Ynares Center in Antipolo today (Thursday).
The Cool Smashers showed they remained armed and equipped to defend the championship even without two of their former key players, blasting past a couple of title contenders in the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and the Cignal HD Spikers last week.
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses was more particular of their last triumph, saying: “It was special because it was held in Batangas and we didn’t expect to win it in three. Cignal even led, 3-0, in the first set but we tried and played it point-by-point.”
That led to a 25-20, 25-20, 25-16 victory before a packed crowd of over 4,000 at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum for a share of the early lead with the Petro Gazz Angels.
But while they are expected to dominate the Defenders in their 2 p.m. encounter, Meneses remains as circumspect in dealing with one of the four rookie clubs in the record 12-team fold.
“You can’t count Gerflor out. They also train hard so we will just have to stay focused,” said Meneses.
The Defenders yielded a pair straight-set losses to the Nxled Chameleons and the Petro Gazz Angels, leaving coach Sammy Acaylar with a huge task of motivating and pushing his crew, led by Grace Berteto, Menchie Tubiera, Pia Sarmiento, Lhara Clavano and Danika Gendrauli, to measure up against the likes of Michele Gumabao, Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza.
The Chargers are also tipped to roll over the Foxies in their 4 p.m. clash after the former upended the erstwhile unbeaten Chery Tiggo Crossovers, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20, late Tuesday to move to joint third with the PLDT High Speed Hitters and the Crossovers at 2-1 in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa, BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, SMART, Rebisco, Milcu, Kumu, Asics and SportRadar.
That included a five-set stunner over the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers last week as the vastly-improved Chargers, who dropped a three-set defeat to the High Speed Hitters last Thursday, got into the mix of things with an eye on grabbing solo third against a team which has lost its first three matches without winning a set.
But Farm Fresh coach Jerry Yee is hopeful his wards will settle down in time and score even a set breakthrough although Kate Santiago, Trisha Tubu and Alyssa Bertolano, along with Justine Dorog and skipper Louie Romero, Sofia Ildefonso, Jhasmin Pascual and Aprylle Tagsip will have a lot of catching up to do to range against the fired-up Chargers.
With Dindin Manabat, Faith Nisperos, Trisha Genesis, Ezra Madrigal, Erika Raagas and Fifi Sharma and playmaker Jaja Maraguinot responding to coach Jorge Brito’s calls, the Chargers have risen to the occasion and made quite an impression three matches into the round robin elims.
The 6 p.m. main game also packs a lot of promise with the HD Spikers and the Flying Titans coming off contrasting stints and eager to join the High Speed Hitters and the Crossovers at 2-1. Cignal is reeling from a 0-3 defeat to Creamline following a four-set win over PLDT, while Choco Mucho has bounced back from a loss to the defending champion with a rout of Farm Fresh.
Manpower-wise, both teams also boast of deep rosters with the HD Spikers to be led anew by Ces Molina, Vanie Gandler, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Roselyn Doria, Chin Chin Basas, Angela Nunag and setter Gel Cayuna, while the Flying Titans is bannered by the high-flying Sisi Rondina and the triple-tower combo of Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag and Bea de Leon with Des Cheng, Caitlyn Viray and Cherry Nunag reinforcing the squad.
Games are aired on Pilipinas Live, PVL.ph, One Sports, One Sports+, and SMART Livestream app.
Games Thursday
(Ynares Center, Antipolo)
2 p.m. – Gerflor vs Creamline
4 p.m. – Akari vs Farm Fresh
6 p.m. – Cignal vs Choco Mucho