Barring any major disaster, unbeaten Chery Tiggo is beyond ready to formalize its stint in the semifinal round as it collides with winless UAI-Army today even as Creamline stakes its own unblemished slate against Akari in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Barely taking a rest after holding off the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in four last Tuesday, the Crossovers perhaps may not need a long respite to prepare and figure out how to handle the Lady Troopers, who have more pressing concerns after dropping their first three games in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
Still, Chery Tiggo coach Clarence Esteban isn’t taking their seasoned rivals lightly and isn’t expected to, in any way, tinker with his tested rotation that has produced four straight victories, including over three of the league’s most feared teams.
But ironically, it was against newcomer Akari that Chery Tiggo had faced its toughest challenge, needing to rally from 1-2 set down before dominating the decider to pound its lone five-set win last Oct. 22.
That should make the Crossovers wary over what the beleaguered Lady Troopers could offer in their 5:30 p.m. counter with the latter hard-pressed to check their skid and revive their slim semis hopes alive.
But with the way skipper Mylene Paat, EJ Laure, Cza Carandang and the rest of the locals have been blending with their import Jelena Cvijovic and the entire Crossovers have been responding to Esteban’s calls, the Lady Troopers would need more than experience to prick the league leaders’ growing bubble.
But Army coach Kungfu Reyes remains hopeful his wards, made up of Jovelyn Gonzaga, Royse Tubino, Ivy Perez, Angela Nunag, MJ Pabayo and import Laura Condotta, would finally step up, rise to the challenge and deliver the first win.
Like the Crossovers, who hold the bragging rights as champions of the league’s inaugural pro staging last year, beating the Cool Smashers no less in a bubble setup in Ilocos Norte, the latter are also heavily fancied to get past the Chargers in the 2:30 p.m. opener of a twinbill pitting the top teams and the bottom squads.
Like Esteban, however, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses won’t take any chances as the Cool Smashers chase a fourth straight victory and closer to another semis stint that would keep their drive for a record grand slam-seeking on track.
The Open and Invitational champions are flourishing with their star-studded crew despite the limited stint of top hitter and two-time MVP Tots Carlos due to recent back issues as Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Ced Domingo and Jia de Guzman and import Yeliz Basa continue to dish out one big game after another to string three straight victories, all in four-set fashions.
But the Chargers, on a three-game skid after hurdling the Troopers in the opening day and barely upending the Crossovers last Oct. 20, are staying positive in overcoming overwhelming odds on a team built around Michelle Cobb, siblings Jhoana and Janel Maraguinot, Lycha Ebon, Janine Marciano, Erika Raagas, Gyra Barroga, Princess Madrigal, Genevieve Casugod and three-time Olympian Prisilla Rivera.
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