The PVL on Tour wraps up its provincial sorties in Iloilo on Saturday with a highly-anticipated clash between Choco Mucho and Chery Tiggo in what could serve as preview of the Final Four in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the San Agustin Gymnasium.
This marks the second time in the season that Iloilo is hosting PVL games with the Flying Titans and the Crossovers facing off in a crucial contest that could also gauge their readiness for the post-elims play.
On an eight-game run for a 9-1 card, the Flying Titans are determined not only to firm up their hold of the second spot but also to carry a winning momentum into the semis. The third-running Crossovers (8-2), on the other hand, seek to bounce back from a tough four-set defeat to the unbeaten Creamline Cool Smashers that snapped their own six-game run.
That makes their 6 p.m. encounter a match to watch with both teams expected to claim the Nos. 2 and 3 spots after the single round elims in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa, BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, SMART, Rebisco, Milcu, Kumu, Asics and SportRadar.
The Nos. 1 and 4 and the second and third-ranked teams after the elims will square off in a pair of best-of-three semis series with the winners dispute the championship, also a best-of-three affair.
The fourth and last semis seat is being disputed by Cignal (7-3), Petro Gazz (6-4) and PLDT (6-4). Cignal, however, has the edge with winless Gerflor as its last elims opponent on Tuesday where PLDT and Petro Gazz will also knock each other out in case of the Defenders’ win over the HD Spikers.
Meanwhile, local fans are eagerly anticipating the performances of Ilonggas Buding Duremdes, Ces Robles and Shaya Adorador for Chery Tiggo, as well as Aduke Ogunsanya, who is back from a knee injury for Choco Mucho.
The crowd is also excited to witness the skills of sisters EJ and Eya Laure, along with Jasmine Nabor, Imee Hernandez, Joyme Cagande, Pauline Gaston, Cza Carandang, Jen Nierva and the seasoned Mylene Paat.
Choco Mucho’s Sisi Rondina is also out to dazzle the crowd with her energetic and high-flying style of play, alongside Kat Tolentino, Bea de Leon, Maddie Madayag, Regine Arocha, Chery Nunag, Caitlyn Viray, Deanna Wong and the vastly-improve Isa Molde.
Nxled and Farm Fresh, meanwhile, usher in the twinbill at 4 p.m. with the two teams likewise featuring Western Visayas-based players in Ilongga Dani Ravena of Nxled and Negrense Alyssa Bertolano of Farm Fresh.
Matches can be streamed on Pilipinas Live and PVL.ph and are telecast on One Sports, One Sports+, and SMART Livestream app.
