MIDDLE-RANKED teams collide in the quarterfinals of the PVL Reinforced Conference today at The Arena in San Juan with no squad holding a clear advantage.
The battling teams are evenly matched, promising gripping battles for semifinal spots — possibly even surpassing the drama and excitement of last Saturday’s knockout quarterfinal openers, where unbeaten Akari survived Farm Fresh in four sets, and No. 2 seed Cignal edged Capital1 in a thrilling five-setter.
The elimination round encounters between these teams offer a glimpse of what’s to come.
Chery Tiggo narrowly defeated PLDT in five sets last Aug. 3, while Petro Gazz, despite blowing a two-set lead, managed to outlast Creamline in another five-setter last Aug. 13.
The Cool Smashers and the High Speed Hitters rebounded from those close defeats, finishing the qualifiers strongly to secure the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds, respectively.
In contrast, the Crossovers and the Angels settled for the Nos. 5 and 6 spots.
But as the playoffs begin, previous records are irrelevant. These matches will be determined by execution, depth and experience, as well as each team’s ability to adapt and rise to the challenge, especially if the matches extend to five sets.
The spotlight will also be on the coaches, with PLDT’s Rald Ricafort and Chery Tiggo’s Kungfu Reyes tasked with motivating their squads to exceed expectations.
Key players for PLDT include Elena Samoilenko, Erika Santos, Fiola Ceballos, Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, Jovie Prado and Kim Fajardo, while Chery Tiggo will rely on the likes of Kath Bell, Ara Galang, Mylene Paat, Pauline Gaston, Seth Rodriguez, Shaya Adorador, Mary Rhose Dapol and Jasmine Nabor.
While the imports will undoubtedly draw attention, the local players’ contributions will be crucial, particularly the setters who will control the game’s tempo.
PLDT and Chery Tiggo will battle for the third semifinal berth at 4 p.m., while Creamline and Petro Gazz face off at 6 o’clock to determine which team will join Akari and Cignal in the next phase of the knockout rounds.
The Angels, despite their recent surge, will need more than momentum to overcome the battle-tested Cool Smashers, who have consistently demonstrated poise and experience in high-stakes matches.
Petro Gazz coach Koji Tsuzurabara will count on Wilma Salas and Brooke Van Sickle but he’ll also need consistency and composure from veterans Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma and the returning Myla Pablo.
Youngster Ethan Arce will also be looking to make an impact as the Angels aim to keep their bid for a third championship alive.
