Top guns look to get better, stronger as PVL Invitational takes nine-day break
ONE week into the compact Premier Volleyball League Invitational elims, three teams looked headed to the next phase with two straight victories in their respective brackets, one made a smashing debut, while two others split their first two matches.
While the semis race remains as wide-open and the Final Four cast as hazy as ever, one thing is crystal clear – the big guns are still in control.
While newcomers Foton, Gerflor and Farm Fresh have the necessary abilities or qualities to become contenders in the future, it will take them a hard, longer process before they could reach their desired competitive level and meet their respective targets.
For as pure as Tots Carlos’ vicious kills, Kim Dy’s stinging blasts and Sisi Rondina’s high-octane attacks are Creamline, F2 Logistics and Choco Mucho’s starts in the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision where the top two teams from each group after the single round elims will advance to the next round.
The Cool Smashers posted a pair of 3-0 romps over Chery Tiggo and Gerflor to kick-start their title-retention drive and while the 9-day break gives the rest, primarily those seeking to gate-crash the Final Four party, the chance to develop chemistry and sharpen their skills, it will further firm up the games of those in command.
Shutting down the Foxies and trouncing the Cignal HD Spikers in four, the Cargo Movers, with a souped-up roster, underscored their readiness to go all the way to the championship after placing fourth in the recent All-Filipino Conference.
With former middle Ivy Lacsina appearing to thrive as an open spiker and their three rookies showing great potentials, observers fear F2 Logistics coach Regine Diego might be soon fretting over not where to find talents but who to go to at crunch time.
“I’m happy we have a lot of options now but I have to make sure that they gel in together,” said Diego, whose deep bench includes Dy, Aby Maraño, Myla Pablo, Major Baron, Ara Galang, Elaine Kasilag, Shola Alvarez, Elaine Kasilag, playmaker Kim Fajardo and liberos Dawn Macandili.
Add spikers Jolina dela Cruz and Jovelyn Fernandez and setter Marionne Alba, the Cargo Movers do expect to deliver the championship with Diego confident her wards will get better, stronger after the break.
“Yung mga lapses namin happened because di pa sila ganun ka-connected. We still have a lot to learn. Madami pa kaming kailangan ayusin, i-adjust at i-work out,” said Diego. “We can’t stop, it’s just the second game. It’s not done yet.”
“We’re super happy that these rookies chose to be part of F2,” said Dy, whose 23-point explosion powered the team past the HD Spikers to get to 2-0 in Group B. “Maganda ang addition nila sa team, everyone has her own contributions, so tulung-tulungan lang kami until the end.”
Choco Mucho also looks forward to ending a four-year quest for a PVL championship on a team that looked every inch a title contender with the entry of Rondina.
And if her back-to-back Player of the Game honors in her first two games would be any indication, then the Flying Titans could indeed be ready to soar from start to finish in this conference with the former UST hitter, who has shifted her focus to indoor volley after playing beach the past four years, serving as the last piece to the championship jigsaw.
“We’re thankful for her (Rondina) performance, she reciprocates the trust we’re giving her,” said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin.
“I always show kung pano ako magtrabaho at maglaro para madala ko mga teammates ko. At siempre, I’m happy na napapakita namin un mga gustong ipagawa ng mga coaches namin,” said Rondina. “Pinaninindigan ko din ang pagiging leader ng team.”
But Alinsunurin is more pleased because the entire team is responding well to his system, saying: “Tumataas ang porsiyento sa lahat ng ginagawa namin.”
“Kahit sino sa kanila pwede kong gamitin,” added Alinsunurin, who also boasts of such talents in Kat Tolentino, Bea de Leon, Maddie Madayag, Des Cheng, Caitlyn Viran, Maika Ortiz, Cherry Nunag, top setter Deanna Wong and liberos Denden Revilla and Rose Ponce.
Still, for many, Creamline, with its tested, battle-scared crew, remains the team to beat.
“Maigsi lang ang conference and we still have two games. So, we’re focusing on them since they will also be preparing hard (for us),” said Creamline mentor Sherwin Meneses, whose wards will face PLDT (1-0) on July 13 in an attempt to nail the first semis slot in the five-team Group A side.
“Break lang sa laro, but not sa practice. Lagi naman silang lahat nagte-training kaya they’re very competitive,” he added.
Many-time MVP Alyssa Valdez, meanwhile, welcomed the entry of the new teams, saying: “It’s nice to see these young and veterans represent different teams. The potential is always there and with more games and exposures, you’ll never know kung gano pa ang itataas ng level ng competition dito sa PVL.”
“But we’re always ready to take on the challenge, we’ll work harder,” said the skipper of the squad that features heavy hitters Carlos, Jema Galanza, Ced Domingo, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Rose Vargas and new recruit Bernadette Pons along with Risa Sato, Lyn Bernardo, Rizza Mandapat, Kyle Negrito, playmaker Jia de Guzman and liberos Kyle Atienza and Ella de Jesus.
Sure, PLDT, Chery Tiggo, Akari and even Gerflor remain the thick of things in Group A and Petro Gazz, Cignal, Foton and Farm Fresh still have a chance in Group B with still four busy playdates left in the cutthroat qualifiers.
But from the looks of things – and barring any major issues or injuries – Creamline, F2 Logistics and Choco Mucho could be more dominating at resumption and on their way to securing the first three berths in post-elims play.
