SOME of the country’s top collegiate volleyball squads led by NCAA Season 92 champion Arellano University (AU) and UAAP Season 79 runner-up Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) will vie for the inaugural Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference title which will open on Saturday, September 2, on ABS-CBN S+A on free TV, S+A HD on cable TV, and via livestreaming on premiervolleyballleague.com.
The conference serves as a preview of the upcoming NCAA and UAAP volleyball wars and features the brightest young stars of the volleyball scene such as National University’s (NU) Jaja Santiago, ADMU’s Jho Maraguinot, and Jerrili Malabanan of FEU. Others raring to make their mark are Ces Racraquin of San Beda College (SBC), Isa Molde of UP, Jovelyn Prado of AU, and Jema Galanza for Adamson.
Firing off the contention for the championship are NCAA champs AU Lady Chiefs going against College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Lady Blazers at 4pm followed by the main event featuring UAAP runner-up, the ADMU Lady Eagles and Jose Rizal University (JRU) Lady Bombers at 6:30pm at the Fil-Oil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
The twelve teams will be split into two groups. Group A is composed of the NU Lady Bulldogs, along with San Sebastian (SSC-R) Lady Stags, Lyceum Lady Pirates (LPU), FEU Lady Tamaraws, JRU Lady Bombers, and ADMU Lady Eagles. While Group B has the UP Lady Maroons, AU Lady Chiefs, CSB Lady Blazers, SBC Red Lionsesses, Adamson Lady Falcons, and the Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP).
The girls will be guided by their school coaches namely Tai Bundit (ADMU), Roger Gorayeb (SSC-R), Raymond Castillo (NU), Airess Padda (Adamson), Roberto Javier (AU), Mia Tioseco (JRU), Emil Lontoc (LPU), George Pascua (FEU), Achilles “Boy” Paril (TIP), Michael Carino (CSB), Nemesio Gavino (SBC), and Jerry Yee (UP).
Meanwhile, the Men’s division will have eight teams competing for the title led by UAAP champions ADMU Blue Eagles, alongside De La Salle University (DLSU), NCAA champion CSB Blazers, the FEU Tamaraws, NU Bulldogs, San Beda Red Lions, UST Growling Tigers, and the UP Fighting Maroons.
The top two of each group in the single-round robin group eliminations will face off in the crossover semifinals with the winners advancing to the championship and the losers battling for third.
Don’t miss the Collegiate Conference of the 2017 PVL Season on S+A, S+A HD and on”ª premiervolleyballleague.com every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday starting September 2 at 4pm. For more information and stories, visit ABS-CBN’s sports hub sports.abs-cbn.com and follow @ABSCBNSports on Facebook and Twitter. To be part of the conversation as the scintillating action goes on, post on social media using the hashtag #PVLonABSCBN.