Cignal HD sets off for a third straight victory against a Chery Tiggo side hard-pressed to break out of an early skid due to manpower woes even as Creamline and PLDT Home Fibr face-off in the other match wrapping up the explosive first week of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan today.
The HD Spikers, however, might come into their 5:30 p.m. clash with the Crossovers practically a spent force following their energy-sapping duel with the Choco Mucho Flying Titans that took the full route last Thursday.
They dropped the first two sets but swept the last three - all in hard-fought fashions - for a 24-26, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-11 decision that came after their four-set triumph over Army, giving them early control of the seven-team field battling it out for the top four slots into the next round.
But coach Shaq delos Santos believes his wards have so much more to offer and facing a depleted squad may even give him the chance to rest his starters in preparation for what could be their toughest test - a clash with the Cool Smashers on Thursday in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
But the Crossovers are likely to come into the match a lot tougher with the likes of EJ Laure, Buding Duremdes, Alina Bicar, and Justine Dorog expected to return following health and safety protocols although top hitter and leader Dindin Manabat, who suffered an ankle injury in a tune-up match, remains a day-to-day case.
Still, with the way Rachel Anne Daquis, Ces Molina, Roselyn Doria, and Rachel Anne Daquis, Ria Meneses, Claudine Troncoso, libero Fatima General and the rest have been playing with competitive fire, the Crossovers will need more anchors to prick the growing Cignal bubble in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
Focus will also be on the 2:30 p.m. match between the Cool Smashers and the Power Hitters, the winner of which could snare the solo lead if Chery Tiggo pulls off a reversal over Cignal.
Games are aired live on One Sports (free to Air Ch 41 and Cignal CH 6) and One Sports+ (Cignal Ch 91 SD, Ch 261 HD). Both channels are also available on Cignal's OTT Platform, Cignal Play, with video on demand also available on the platform.
Matches can also be streamed on social media application KUMU and on the league's official website pvl.ph.
Creamline, behind its star-studded roster, launched its drive for back-to-back championships with a 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20 victory over Petro Gazz last Tuesday while the Power Hitters dominated the Crossovers, 25-18, 25-19, 25-14, to serve notice of their title drive.
But the Open Conference champions appear to have the edge with the return of Michelle Gumabao adding more depth to an already talented crew made up of Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Risa Sato and Jia de Guzman, Celine Domingo and Kyle Atienza.
The Power Hitters, however, remain unfazed by their rivals' credentials, confident of putting up a stronger campaign after finishing fifth in the first conference on a team which underwent deep training during the break and built around the fired-up lead crew composed of Mika Reyes, Chin Chin Basas, Julianne Samonte, Fiola Ceballos, Dell Palomata, Rhea Dimaculangan and Kathleen Arado.
