Superior on paper and on the court, Creamline isn’t taking Choco Mucho lightly, psyching itself up not only against the Flying Titans but also the crowd support as they slug it out at the start of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
“Everytime we face Choco Mucho, our main concern is the crowd, sobrang dami. But we’re ready,” said coach Sherwin Meneses, whose star-studded Cool Smashers also pack in the fans who produce great impact on each Creamline outing.
Winner of this conference last March and a losing finalist in the PVL Invitational, the Cool Smashers appear to have the edge against the Flying Titans, who placed seventh in both tournaments. But Meneses and his wards have opted to downplay their chances although they guaranteed their readiness to close out the league’s sixth season the way they had opened it.
Gametime is at 7 p.m. in a match tipped to go the distance.
Meanwhile, Gerflor and Nxled kick off hostilities at 3 p.m. while PLDT and Cignal tangle at 5 p.m. in a pair of matches to be aired on PVL.ph, One Sports, One Sports+ and SMART Livestream app.
Meneses and counterpart Dante Alisunurin of Choco Mucho regard the first game as key to their title aspirations.
“Mas iniintindi namin ang first game kasi team check namin yun,” said Meneses. “Yung kalaban kasi, kahit sino naman, lumalaban talaga. Yung first game napaka-importante sa team kasi dito namin makikita kung nag-improve yung skills at yung buong team.”
Alinsunurin admits facing Creamline in an opening match adds more pressure but believes he has built enough rapport with the Flying Titans to be rattled a bit.
“Me konting pressure kasi siempre, defending champion yan. Pero sabi ko nga sa mga players ko, medyo malayo na ang narating namin, basta continue lang kung ano yung mga dapat gawin, adjustment sa laro. Sigurado may malaking chance kami na manalo sa first game,” said Alinsunurin, who took over the coaching chores for the Flying Titans at the onset of the season.
Two things that could swing to Choco Mucho’s favor are Creamline will be without ace playmaker Jia De Guzman, who is now with Denso of the Japan V.League, and the high-flying, energetic Sisi Rondina has fully adjusted to Choco Mucho’s system.
But the defending champions bristle with awesome firepower, led by the troika of Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza and Alyssa Valdez, with Ced Domingo, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Bernadette Pons, Rose Vargas and setter Kyle Negrito ready to step up at any given time.
Rondina is also surrounded by able hitters eager to explode, including Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag, Bea de Leon, Des Cheng, Cherry Nunag, Isa Molde, Caitlin Viray, and, of course, Deanna Wong.
Pilipinas Live will also telecast the games live, bringing the much-hyped and anticipated action to Filipinos and audiences abroad.
Meanwhile, the High Speed Hitters and the HD Spikers also go flat out for a big start in the two-month long tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa, BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, SMART, Rebisco, Milcu, Kumu, Asics and SportRadar with the former to bank on new recruit Fil-Canadian hitter Savannah Davison and regulars Mika Reyes, Michelle Morente, Mean Mendrez, Fiola Ceballos, Dell Palomata, Jules Samonte and Jovie Prado.
The HD Spikers, who placed sixth in the first All-Filipino and wound up third in the Invitational, will pin their hopes on Ces Molina, Chin Basas, Roselyn Doria, Vanie Gandler, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Rachel Anne Daquis, Riri Meneses, Chay Troncoso and setter Gel Cayuna.
The Gerflor-Nxled duel is also a match to watch with both teams out to prove their mettle.
Holdovers Pia Sarmiento and Mary Angelei Jingco banner the new-look Defenders’ campaign while the Chameleons will be led by Krich Macaslang, Jho Maraguinot, Lycha Ebon, Kamille Kal, Janine Navarro, Chiara Permentilla, Camilla Victoria, and Dani Ravena.
