Chery Tiggo and F2 Logistics set out for a second straight win coming off contrasting opening game victories with the Crossovers clashing with a debuting Army side and the Cargo Movers tangling with the Akari Chargers in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference back at the Philsports Arena in Pasig today (Saturday).
Chery Tiggo, out to atone for its dismal eighth place showing here, formerly the Open Conference, last year after ruling the inaugural pro staging in 2021 in bubble setup in Ilocos Norte, swept Cignal, 27-25, 25-19, 25-22, last Tuesday to launch its campaign with Shaya Adorador, Mylene Paat, EJ Laure, Roselle Baliton and Cza Carandang combining for 61 points.
With playmaker Alina Bicar expected to raise her game a notch higher, the Crossovers look to get past the Lady Troopers making their first appearance in the season-opening conference of the country’s premier league organized by Sports Vision.
Gametime is at 4 p.m.
But Army is likewise itching to get going, more than ready to show their form they honed during the long break. Honey Royse Tubino, Mary Ann Esguerra, Audrey Paran, Ivy Perez, Jeanette Villareal and Sarah Gonzales remain the core of the squad which however will miss the services of top hitter Jovelyn Gonzales, who had opted to sit out the conference to focus on the SEA Games preparations.
That’s one less concern for the Crossovers, who will next face the souped-up Cargo Movers on Feb. 16.
F2 Logistics is also looking forward to that duel with the Cargo Movers priming up for that match against the Chargers in the 6:30 p.m. Akari, despite Dindin Manabat, Joy Soyud, Camille Victoria and Bang Pineda’s acquisitions, struggled and bowed to Choco Mucho in three.
But the Chargers are expected to come into the match a more organized crew although they would need more than chemistry to stop an F2 Logistics side toughened up by the presence of former Petro Gazz hitter Myla Pablo.
The former National U stalwart and two-time PVL conference MVP marked her maiden stint with the Cargo Movers with a big 21-point showing although the team blew a 2-0 set lead over PLDT the first time out before recovering in the decider to eke out the win, 25-22, 25-21, 14-25, 20-25, 16-14.
