BY ABBY TORALBA
CREAMLINE and PLDT battle separate rivals today in their bid to advance to the semifinals of the PVL Invitational Conference at The Arena in San Juan.
The Cool Smashers take on also-ran Chery Tiggo at 5:30 p.m. after the High Speed Hitters clash with Choco Mucho in the curtain-raiser at 2:30.
“Itong upcoming games namin, lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila, iyong opportunity lagi, iyong lagi mind setting, ito iyong goal na kailangan, opportunity ito para talunin natin iyong kalaban, opportunity ito para maka-higher up tayo,” PLDT coach George Pascua said.
“Then siyempre iyong aming collective effort ng bawat isa kasi imagine, natutuwa nga ako, every game namin iba iyong nagiging Player of the Game, siyempre with the help ng buong team, hindi lang iisa iyong (gumagawa) so iyon iyong sign na talagang united iyong team namin,” he added.
The High Speed Hitters trounced Army Black Mamba 17-25, 25-11, 25-20, 25-18 last Saturday and hiked their mark to 3-1 in a tie with Creamline.
Open hitters Jules Samonte and Fiola Ceballos, opposite spiker Toni Rose Basas, middle blockers Mika Reyes and Dell Palomota, setter Rhea Dimaculangan and libero Kath Arado are expected to lead the way for PLDT.
The undermanned Flying Titans absorbed a third consecutive loss 22-25, 14-25, 22-25 at the hands of the Cool Smashers five days ago.
Choco Mucho will bank on opposite hitter Caitlyn Viray, open spiker Isa Molde, middle blocker Bea De Leon, libero Denden Lazaro-Revilla and playmaker Deanna Wong to improve its 1-3 slate and stay alive in the tourney.
Opposite spiker Diana Carlos, skipper Alyssa Valdez, open hitter Jema Galanza, setter Jia De Guzman, and middle blocker Celine Domingo will be counted upon by Creamline.
