Games today (Thursday)
3 p.m. – Perlas vs Cignal HD
6 p.m. – PLDT vs Army
Ilocos Norte—It’s the struggling teams’ turn to enhance their respective chances as Perlas faces Cignal HD and Army clashes with PLDT Home Fibr in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra here today (Thursday).
The Perlas Spikers reeled to back-to-back setbacks in straight-set fashions in their delayed pro league debut but are expected to settle down and put their act together when the square off with the HD Spikers at 3 p.m.
Despite posting one victory, Cignal HD is in a more intricate position as it has dropped four games, including the last three, putting the HD Spikers in a must-win situation against the Spikers in an attempt to stay in the semis hunt in the country's first pro volley league organized by Sports Vision.
The top four teams from the 10-squad field after the single round elims will advance to the crossover Final Four.
Like Cignal, Black Mamba Army is out to snap a two-game skid after splitting its first two games and the Lady Troopers hope to use their veteran smarts to check their skid against the PLDT Power Hitters at 6 p.m.
For one, PLDT has lost its first five games, four via straight sets, although multi-titled coach Roger Gorayen remains hopeful he could squeeze out the best from the likes of Isa Molde, Rhea Dimaculangan, Mariella Gabarda, Genn Layug, Joy Soyud, Aiko Urdas, Kath Villegas, Toni Rose Basas and Shola Alvarez to put them on the winning track.
But the likes of Jovy Gonzaga, Joanne Bunag, MJ Balse-Pabayo, Royse Tubino, Christine Francisco and Mary Anne Esguerra are also hard-pressed to come up with a victory to keep their flickering semis hopes alive.
Games are telecast live on One Sports (Free to Air), and One Sports+ (Pay TV) with both channels available for linear streaming on Cignal Play and on gigafest.smart with replays on www.pvl.ph.
Meanwhile, despite their faulty start, the Perlas Spikers hope to ride on their plays in the last two sets of their match against the Chery Tiggo Crossvers last Monday that saw them drag their rivals to an extended duel in the second frame before losing momentum and steam in the next, 10-25, 25-27, 23-25.
Coach Rey Diaz Jr. also expects to draw solid games from Nicole Tiamzon, Cherry Nunag, Sue Roces, Michelle Morente, Joy Doromal, and Angelica Cayuna as they slug it out with the likes of Rachelle Daquis, Mae Vivas, Arielle Estranero, Roselyn Doria, and Norielle Ipac.