Three of the four teams currently reeling from tough losses and stuck in the lower half of the 12-team standings aim to bounce back with crucial victories in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Saturday.
Chery Tiggo (4-3) faces Farm Fresh (3-3) in the 4 p.m. opener of another twinbill. Fans can expect the unexpected as the tournament continues to unfold as a wild and unpredictable affair. With no team emerging as a dominant force so far, every match is vital as the preliminaries approach their final four weeks.
Although no team will be eliminated after the single-round phase, their respective records will significantly impact playoff seeding in the tournament organized by Sports Vision and backed by Watsons with support from Arena Plus, Fabriano Appliances, Milcu, Watsons, iColor & Argan Beauty, Tapa King, Sport Radar, and Mikasa.
The top teams will be matched against the lower-ranked squads in six knockout pairings, including No. 1 vs No. 12, No. 2 vs No. 11, and so forth.
Despite the unpredictable nature of the conference, Creamline remains the benchmark. The recent Grand Slam champions have swept their first five matches but currently sit third in the standings with 14 points, behind Petro Gazz (17 points, 6-1) and Cignal (15 points, 5-1). Choco Mucho (5-3) shares fourth place with PLDT (4-3) and Akari (4-4), all at 12 points, following Choco Mucho's recent win over PLDT.
Focus, however, shifts to the struggling teams eager to recover from recent losses. Chery Tiggo, coming off a heartbreaking five-set defeat after squandering a two-set lead to the Angels, looks to rebound strongly. Its showdown with Farm Fresh, fresh from a shutout win against sister team Nxled, promises to be a thrilling clash.
Crossovers coach Norman Miguel is likely to rely on key players such as Cza Carandang, Pauline Gaston, Jasmine Nabor, Aby Maraño and the explosive Cess Robles. On the other side, Farm Fresh, currently in eighth place at 3-3, will pin its hopes on Trisha Tubu, new recruit Jolina dela Cruz, Alyssa Bertolano and Rizza Cruz in this must-watch encounter.
Meanwhile, the 6:30 p.m. battle between ZUS Coffee and Capital1 is also expected to be fiercely contested. The Thunderbelles (2-4) aim to notch their third win, boasting a lineup featuring Thea Gagate, Chai Troncoso, Gayle Pascual, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Michelle Gamit and setter Cloanne Mondonedo.
However, the Solar Spikers (1-5) are determined to turn their fortunes around, led by new acquisition Trisha Genesis alongside Jorelle Singh, Rovena Instrella, Lou Clemente-De Guzman, and Patty Orendain.
Games are telecast live on Pilipinas Live, RPTV, One Sports, One Sports+, and pvl.ph.
