Choco Mucho and Cignal HD clash today (Thursday) in a duel of fire and poise for the solo lead, three playdates into Season 5 of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The Flying Titans are oozing with confidence following their 25-21, 25-21, 25-21 thumping of the underhanded Chery Tiggo side in Saturday’s inaugurals of the mid-season conference of the country’s first pro league although they brace for a tougher, more challenging match against the HD Spikers.
Gametime is at 2:30 p.m. with Choco Mucho tipped to redraw in the boisterous fans, who helped boost their opening day romp.
But before a rowdy or restrained crowd, the HD Spikers are expected to dish out their best just the same, better perhaps than what they flashed in their four-set (25-17, 21-25, 25-20, 25-20) triumph over the Army Black Mamba Troopers also last Saturday.
PLDT and Creamline likewise hurdled their respective opening day assignments to force an early four-way tie with the former dealing a luckless Chery Tiggo its second straight loss via 25-18, 25-19, 25-14 romp and the latter hacking out a stirring 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20 decision over Petro Gazz, both last Tuesday.
Kat Tolentino, who dropped a 22-point game against Chery Tiggo, including 20 on attacks, sets out for another prolific outing with Bea de Leon, Isa Molde, Desiree Cheng, Aduku Ogunsanya, Ponggay Gaston and playmaker Deanna Wong ready to provide the needed support in an early test of will and character for the young and tall but talented crew.
But the HD Spikers have been tested in such kind of duels with Rachel Anne Daquis, Ces Molina, Ria Meneses, Roselyn Doria Genn Layug, Angeli Araneta and Gel Cayuna, the best setter in the recent Open Conference, raring to use their veteran smarts to bring down the Flying Titans.
Army and Petro Gazz, meanwhile, collide in the 5:30 p.m. in another slam-bang face-off between teams out to get into the winning track and fuel their bid in the single round robin elims among seven teams.
Games are aired live on One Sports (free to Air Ch 41 and Cignal CH 6) and One Sports+ (Cignal Ch 91 SD, Ch 261 HD). Both channels are also available on Cignal’s OTT Platform, Cignal Play, with video on demand also available on the platform.
Matches can also be streamed on social media application KUMU and on the league’s official website pvl.ph.