The Premier Volleyball League marks its maiden foray at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today (Tuesday) with F2 Logistics and Choco Mucho seeking to bolster their respective semifinal bids in the Reinforced Conference against rivals with contrasting rankings.
The Cargo Movers, tied with the idle Cignal HD Spikers at fourth with 2-2 slates, face the unbeaten Creamline Cool Smashers at 5:30 p.m. following the 2:30 p.m. clash between the Flying Titans and the winless UAI-Army Lady Troopers.
Creamline and Chery Tiggo booked the first two Final Four seats with 5-0 and 5-1 marks, respectively, with the Cool Smashers wresting control and staying on course for a record grand slam by repulsing the Crossovers in four in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last Saturday.
That leaves the race for the last two semis spots wide open although 2019 champion Petro Gazz looked poised to nail the third berth with a 3-1 record with four others still in the hunt and another still nurturing hopes to make it through the backdoor, guaranteeing a furious battle in the next two weeks.
That should make today’s matches so crucial for Choco Mucho and F2 Logistics.
But while the Flying Titans appear to have a lighter task against the luckless Lady Troopers, the Cargo Movers face a daunting challenge against the Cool Smashers, who seem not keen on slowing down despite securing a spot in the post-elims play.
Competing in a larger venue as the Smart Araneta Coliseum could also provide a different kind of playing atmosphere for the country’s top volleybelles that should further spice up the action heading to the last seven playdates of the single round robin elims of the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The Big Dome will also host four of the next five PVL games, including Thursday’s matches pitting Cignal versus Petro Gazz, and Akari against PLDT, and Saturday’s games featuring Creamline against Army, and Petro Gazz versus Chery Tiggo.
Stung by a five-set loss to the Akari Chargers last Thursday that kept them in the semis battle, the Flying Titans, led by import Odina Aliyeva and locals Kat Tolentino, Des Cheng, Isa Molde, Bea de Leon and Deanna Wong, can’t wait to slug it out with the Lady Troopers in pursuit of a victory that would even their card to 3-3.
Out of it all with a 0-5 card, Army, however, has no way to go but up with coach Kungfu Reyes hopeful to draw some kind of fire from reinforcement Laura Condotta and locals Honey Royse Tubino, Jovelyn Gonzaga, MJ Pabayo, Jeannete Villareal and setter Ivy Perez to break the spell.
Meanwhile, the Cargo Movers, spearheaded by import Lindsay Stalzer and Kalei Mau, Aby Maraño, Kim Dy, Ivy Lacsina and Kim Fajardo, are actually on a two-game run after dropping their first two games hastened by health issues to their key players. But they would need more than vigor to put an end to the Cool Smashers’ impressive run anchored on Yeliz Basa, Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza and top middle Ced Domingo and playmaker Jia de Guzman.
Games are aired on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play and Smart Gigaplay with hashtag #TheHeartofVolleyball.