More than a fresh offering for its milestone 10th season, the Premier Volleyball League’s Siklab opening leg promises a fascinating test of how quickly new pieces can come together.
With free agency and the rookie draft reshaping rosters across the league, the All-Filipino Conference unfolds Saturday (Oct. 10) at the SM Seaside Cebu Arena with new faces, new combinations, and, for several teams, vastly different looks.
The result could be a season opener filled with surprises – and perhaps the unexpected – as the country’s premier volleyball league marks a decade of competition.
The offseason saw teams take markedly different approaches to strengthening their rosters. Some opted for continuity, while others aggressively addressed their biggest needs through free agency and the rookie draft, adding talent capable of immediately changing their fortunes.
No team, however, made a louder statement than Capital1.
The Solar Spikers went all-in during the break, surrounding star Bella Belen with a collection of marquee acquisitions headlined by former league MVPs Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos, both from Cignal, and veteran setter Jaja Maraguinot.
Capital1 also landed rookie libero Detdet Pepito, the No. 2 overall pick in the recent PVL Draft, and ninth overall pick Khy Cepada, further deepening a roster that now looms as a serious contender.
To maximize the potential of its Belen-Gandler-Santos combination, the Solar Spikers also brought in former Galeries Tower ace setter Julia Coronel, adding another key piece to an ambitious overhaul.
But while Capital1 made the biggest splash, several other teams made calculated moves to shore up their lineups and strengthen their rotations heading into Siklab.
Nxled, for one, addressed key needs across the court. Six-time Best Setter Gel Cayuna gives the Chameleons an accomplished playmaker, Jackie Acuna adds reinforcement in the middle, while fifth overall pick Irah Jaboneta brings youth and promise to the libero position.
The moves already appear to be paying dividends, with Nxled advancing to the recent PVL On Tour Final.
ZUS Coffee also added a proven scoring option in Jolina Dela Cruz, while NCAA MVP Zamantha Nolasco and fourth overall pick Nicole Ong provide added depth in the middle – a position that suddenly became a pressing need following Thea Gagate’s move to Japan’s SV.League, where she joined Denso Airybees.
Galeries Tower, meanwhile, landed the biggest recruit of the PVL Draft in top overall pick Lams Lamina, a timely addition after Coronel’s departure from the Highrisers following the preseason.
The Highrisers also selected Ann Asis 10th overall and signed free agents Alyssa Bertolano, Jade Gentapa and Maji Mangulabnan.
Not every team, however, chose to overhaul its roster.
Akari opted to preserve its core while adding reliable depth in Tin Tiamzon, Risa Sato, Sharya Ancheta and Ann Monares.
Farm Fresh took a similar approach, retaining its foundation while bringing in Roselyn Doria-Aquino, Buding Duremdes, Kamille Cal, Bea Bonafe and Ethan Arce to add depth for the new season.
Choco Mucho and PLDT likewise chose continuity over wholesale change. The Flying Titans added Dawn Catindig, Jewel Encarnacion and Ivy Perez, while the High Speed Hitters brought in Leila Cruz, Winnie Bedana and Jessa Ordiales, along with rookies Fianne Ariola and Joan Monares.
No team, though, made fewer changes than defending champion Creamline, which added just one player to its already formidable, tested core – rookie Barbie Jamili, the eighth overall pick in the draft.
Now comes the part that matters most: seeing whether all those offseason moves actually translate on the court.
With every team believing it has put the right pieces in place, Siklab will provide the first real glimpse of how the new-look rosters fit, which combinations click and which contenders are ready to make an early statement when hostilities begin Saturday in Cebu.
The pieces have been moved. Now, it’s time to see who can make them click.
