Despite falling short in the qualifying round, Cignal and Chery Tiggo remain optimistic about their chances of securing the last two quarterfinal slots in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference. However, with four other teams equally determined to punch their ticket, the stage is set for an intense and unpredictable Play-In tournament, which kicks off on Thursday at the Philsports Arena.
The HD Spikers aim to reignite their campaign as they take on the Capital1 Solar Spikers at 6:30 p.m. in Pool A action, which also features ZUS Coffee. Meanwhile, the Crossovers face the Nxled Chameleons at 4 p.m. in Pool B, where Farm Fresh also stands as a contender.
Cignal, ranked No. 3 after the preliminaries, saw its title hopes shaken following a shocking upset by No. 10 seed Galeries Tower. The loss exposed the HD Spikers' depth issues, especially after losing two key players.
While rookie Ishie Lalongisip has stepped up and Vanie Gandler and Jackie Acuña have delivered steady performances, the team struggled to contain the Highrisers’ spirited attack led by Ysa Jimenez, Jewel Encarnacion, France Ronquillo, and rookie setter/spiker Julia Coronel, backed by veterans Roselle Baliton and Andrea Marzan.
Against Capital1, the HD Spikers seek redemption, but their recent defeat is a stark reminder that no team is safe in this tournament organized by Sports Vision. The growing parity in the league means that every match is a battleground, where underdogs are proving capable of stunning the favorites.
Capital1 coach Roger Gorayeb, however, will need to rally his squad – composed of Jorelle Singh, Heather Guino-o, Leila Cruz, Norielle Ipac, Patty Orendain, Rovena Instrella, Trisha Genesis, Sydney Niego, Des Clemente-De Guzman, and playmaker Iris Tolenada – after they fell to the second-seeded Petro Gazz Angels in the qualifiers.
Similarly, Chery Tiggo looks to bounce back from a tough loss to Choco Mucho. Led by Ara Galang, Cess Robles, Aby Maraño, Seth Rodriguez, Pauline Gaston, Shaya Adorador and setter Jasmine Nabor, the Crossovers will attempt to impose their will early against an unpredictable Nxled squad.
The Chameleons, however, possess enough firepower to stage an upset with a roster featuring Chiara Permentilla, EJ Laure, Lycha Ebon, Krich Macaslang, May Luna-Lumahan, Jaycel delos Reyes, Jaila Atienza and Lucille Almonte.
Both pools will play a single round-robin series, with the top teams advancing to the quarterfinals, joining Creamline, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, PLDT, Akari and Galeries Tower. The Pool A winner will take on Petro Gazz, while the Pool B top finisher will battle powerhouse Creamline in a best-of-three quarterfinal showdown.
Meanwhile, Akari faces Galeries Tower, and Choco Mucho clashes with PLDT in the other quarterfinal matchups.
With every team hungry to survive in the tournament supported by Arena Plus, Fabriano Appliances, Milcu, iColor & Argan Beauty, Tapa King, Sport Radar and Mikasa, expect thrilling, unpredictable battles where every point could make the difference between staying in the hunt or going home.
Games are aired live on Pilipinas Live, RPTV, One Sports, One Sports+, and pvl.ph.
