Games today (Saturday)
(Ynares Center, Antipolo)
4 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs ZUS Coffee
6:30 p.m. – Creamline vs Chery Tiggo
The top two seeds in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals take the spotlight today with different missions—Creamline aims for a sweep against Chery Tiggo to punch a semifinal ticket, while Petro Gazz fights for survival against a surging ZUS Coffee side.
The Choco Mucho Flying Titans and Akari Chargers already secured the first two Final Four slots with thrilling five-set victories over PLDT and Galeries Tower, respectively, last Thursday.
That leaves Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz in must-win situations as the best-of-three series resumes at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Top-seeded Creamline seeks to extend its streak of Final Four appearances, having never missed the semifinals since joining the league in 2017.
The Cool Smashers are also chasing a record-extending 11th championship, having won the last four titles in the league organized by Sports Vision.
Chery Tiggo showed flashes of brilliance in the second set of Game 1 but must dig deep to stop Creamline’s playoff march.
Coach Sherwin Meneses, eyeing his 101st career win, expects nothing less than a tough battle.
“This is the quarterfinals. No team will go down easily,” said Meneses.
“We expect Chery Tiggo to fight until the end, and we are prepared for that situation.”
Alyssa Valdez, who delivered a vintage 16-point performance in Game 1, credited their preparation and chemistry for staying sharp despite a two-week break.
“We didn’t get rusty because we worked double time,” said Valdez.
“We struck a balance between light and hard training, and it paid off.”
“Familiarity plays a crucial role in these situations,” she added.
“But we also recognize the challenge of adapting to changes in a long-running system. In the end, we trust and believe in each other.”
Valdez will once again lead the charge as the Cool Smashers look to eliminate Chery Tiggo and take one step closer to another championship.
Meanwhile, second-seeded Petro Gazz finds itself in a do-or-die situation after being stunned by the youthful ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in Game 1.
Despite fielding veterans like Jovelyn Gonzaga and Chai Troncoso, the Angels struggled against a fearless Thunderbelles squad led by rising stars Thea Gagate, Michelle Gamit, and Chinnie Arroyo.
Playmaker Cloanne Mondonedo also orchestrated ZUS Coffee’s offense with composure and flair.
The Thunderbelles’ Game 1 win halted Petro Gazz’s 10-game winning streak.
“We can’t be the ones playing catch-up,” said Myla Pablo, who scored 14 points in the loss.
She admitted the team lacked aggressiveness on the floor.
“I think we were lacking that fighting spirit inside the court,” Pablo said in Filipino.
The Angels remain focused on bouncing back but must find a way to contain the Thunderbelles’ growing confidence.
ZUS Coffee now stands one win away from completing an improbable semifinal run.
The PVL games air live on Pilipinas Live, RPTV, One Sports, One Sports+, and pvl.ph.
