Unless UAI-Army does an Akari caper, Petro Gazz looks to join Creamline and Chery Tiggo in the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League as the Angels and the Lady Troopers clash today (Saturday) in the penultimate elims playdate back at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Angels toppled the Crossovers last Nov. 12 to hike their record to 4-2 with a victory in their 2:30 p.m. encounter with the Lady Troopers formalizing the 2019 champions’ stint in post-elims play of the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
But despite being out of it all with no victory to show in seven games, Army is going all out to nail the elusive win and derail the semis-bound Petro Gazz the way the Chargers stunned the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in four last Tuesday.
The Angels, however, are in no mood to foul up with coach Rald Ricafort expecting to draw the best from import Lindsey Vander Weide and locals Jonah Sabete, Myla Pablo, Grethcel Soltones, and Aiza Pontillas and top middle MJ Phillips and secure the third semis slot.
Still, the Lady Troopers, with nothing to lose, are going all out to change the script and end their campaign on a winning mode behind import Laura Condotta, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nene Bautista, MJ Pabayo, Jeanette Villareal, and Honey Royse Tubino.
But crucial is the 5:30 p.m. face-off between Cignal and F2 Logistics. Tied at fourth at 3-3, the winner will get the inside track to the semis although the HD Spikers and the Cargo Movers still have to hurdle their last games against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and the Angels on Tuesday.
At 3-4, Choco Mucho still has an outside chance although it must win over Cignal and F2 Logistics won’t go over four wins.
The Flying Titans missed boosting their semis drive with a four-set loss to the Cool Smashers last Thursday in a match that set a new record crowd of more than 19,000, surpassing the 16,877 who watched the PVL Open Conference on April 3, 2022.
Games are aired on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play, and Kumu.
