By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Filipino volleyball fans will again be treated to action-packed games as the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference will return on June 27, 2023.
The professional volleyball league just released its whole preliminary schedule until July 18, 2023, where 13 teams will vie for the invitational crown.
A total of 11 local teams and an expected arrival of two foreign guest squads will comprise the conference in a seven-day elimination round.
On the opening day, the Cignal HD Spikers will be taking on former Philippine Superliga (PSL) queens Foton Tornadoes followed by a clash between one of the new teams in the league, the Farm Fresh Foxies, and the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers.
Playing last in the triple-header schedule are the defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers and the revamped Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
There are three new teams in the conference namely: Gerflor Defenders, Foton, and Farm Fresh. Meanwhile, the eight current teams stayed intact and figured in several off-season acquisitions to boost their chances of nabbing the invitational championship.
As of now, the PVL management is yet to release the names of the two guest foreign squads that will spice up the last week of the elimination round.
Last year, the Kobe Shinwa Women’s University volleyball team from Japan and the Taipei King Whales from Taiwan played as foreign guests.
After the seven-day preliminary schedule, the PVL playoffs will then begin on July 20, 2023 until July 30, 2023.
