PVL hit by C-19, leaky roof
Games today:
(PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center, Bacarra)
3 p.m. – PLDT vs Sta. Lucia
6 p.m. – Cignal vs Chery Tiggo
IT was a challenging Sunday in the Premier Volleyball League: It was dealt with a COVID-19 case inside the Ilocos Norte bubble and a leaky roof inside the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center in Bacarra.
The now-pro league yesterday announced that it put on hold all scheduled Open Conference matches of the beleaguered Perlas Spikers club after an unnamed member of the delegation was tested positive for coronavirus.
The season opener between PetroGazz and Black Mamba-Army was marred with a leaky roof – which caused an almost a hour delay of the first serve and a play stoppage early in the second set – that rendered the venue unplayable due to incessant heavy rains in the Ilocos Norte town.
The match, which saw the Angels won the opening set, 25-19, has not resumed as of presstime.
This was the second time that Perlas had went through COVID-19 issues, as seven players and a coach contracted the virus in the Baguio training bubble last month.
To prevent the spread of the infection, the positive individual Was self-isolating with rest of the Perlas Spikers quarantined in individual rooms. They will all undergo RT-PCR testing on the fifth day since their last swab test.
“Pending the results (of the tests), the scheduled games of Perlas have been postponed,” said PVL president Ricky Palou in a statement.
Perlas was supposed to play against Cignal HD last Saturday but was shelved as a precautionary measure.
The decision was in accordance with the league protocols duly approved by the joint Committee of the Games and Amusements Board, which is implementing the Joint Administrative Order and the PVL.
The PVL assured the rest of the delegation the safe conduct of play in the next five weeks with everyone inside the bubble adhering to the stringent health and safety measures.
Last Saturday’s inaugurals saw defending champion Creamline prevailing over Sta. Lucia, 25-18, 25-20, 25-27, 25-18, and Chery Tiggo turning back PLDT, 25-20, 25-17, 25-6. (Theodore P. Jurado)
