ILOCOS NORTE – Perlas finally gets the feel of a pro volley skirmish after being sidelined in the inaugural week of the Premier Volleyball League’s milestone staging, hoping to spin its zest into a winning start against Choco Mucho on Sunday in the second week of the Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra here.
Bannered by Nicole Tiamzon, Cherry Nunag, Joy Doromal, Sue Roces, Jem Ferrer and Jellie Tempiatura, the Spikers are raring to pour it all out against the Flying Titans in their 4 p.m. encounter that sandwiches two equally explosive matches marking the second week of the country’s first-ever pro volley league organized by Sports Vision.
“Now, we have a chance to fight,” the Perlas Spikers – as a unit – announced in a social-media post after being cleared to play last Thursday.
But much is also expected from a Choco Mucho side brimming with confidence after humbling Sta. Lucia in straight sets last Friday in a big follow-up to its four-set win over PLDT Home Fibr last Wednesday.
Choco Mucho coach Oliver Almadro said his young but talented crew is still in the learning process but has pointed out the importance of each game given the tight format in a grueling six-times-a-week schedule where the 10 teams slug it out for the top four slots in the crossover semis through a single round elimination round.
“Every game is a must-win. Every game we should be learning towards the next games,” said Almadro.
Perlas would be too willing to conduct some lessons behind its seasoned personnel although the Spikers may go through some kind of a rough, bumpy start trying to shake off the proverbial rust.
Meanwhile, top meets bottom in the 1 p.m. opener of the triple bill as Creamline sets out for its fourth straight victory against PLDT Home Fibr, winless in three starts, while BaliPure hopes to ride the momentum of its shock five-set win over Chery Tiggo last Thursday against Cignal HD at 7 p.m.
Games are telecast live on One Sports (Free to Air), and One Sports+ (Pay TV) with both channels available for linear streaming on Cignal Play and on gigafest.smart with replays on www.pvl.ph.
The Cool Smashers held off Sta. Lucia and Petro Gazz in four then fought back from the brink to frustrate Army in five last Thursday, keeping them on track in the very same tournament they ruled in late 2019 before the pandemic disrupted play the following year.
In contrast, PLDT continued to struggle and unless it could come up with an antidote to the power-hitting crew of Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao and Jema Galanza, the Power Hitters may head to another setback and fall into a hole they may not be able to get out of.
The Water Defenders, on the other hand, exude confidence after stopping the Crossovers as they face the HD Spikers, who are reeling from a straight-set defeat to the Angels last Friday.
Image courtesy of Jan Angelo Faustin Rosales
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