Defending champions PLDT High Speed Hitters battle with Thailand’s EST Cola in Invitational – BusinessWorld Online
Games on Monday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
1:30 p.m. – EST Cola (Thailand) vs PLDT
4 p.m. – Nxled vs Creamline
6:30 p.m. – HVF (Ho Chi Minh) vs Farm Fresh
AND SO it begins.
PLDT launches its title-retention bid versus a dangerous EST Cola from Thailand, and Creamline brandishes Sachi Minowa against Brooke Van Sickle and Nxled in Monday’s start of the PVL Invitational at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The PLDT High Speed Hitters will break in their new prized acquisition in Leila Cruz, a second overall rookie draft pick by Capital1 two years ago, when they battle the Thais in their 1:30 p.m. match with hopes of getting a win that should set in motion the former’s back-to-back title aspiration.
“It would be survival of the fittest,” said PLDT team manager Bajjie del Rosario on the short but sweet conference that would have all six participants play six matches in a nine-day span.
The Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise will also be eyeing its third crown in the league, including last year’s PVL on Tour when it was still a regular conference.
“We will be more determined to defend that,” said PLDT coach Rald Ricafort.
For the Creamline Cool Smashers, they will have on their side Ms. Minowa, or Jaja Santiago, in their 4 p.m. showdown with the Nxled Chameleons, a club out to eclipse their franchise-best fifth place finish in the All Filipino Conference early this year.
Ms. Minowa got to see some action, though minimal, in the 11-time champion’s straight-set win over Galeries Tower last week in Victorias City, Negros Occidental where she showed why she is the one of the best, if not the best, players the country has produced.
It would be interesting to see how Creamline would fare against an Nxled team that will have Ms. Van Sickle and newly-acquired veteran Gel Cayuna team up for the first time.
Also seeing action in the heavy triple-match offering are Ho Chi Minh Volleyball Club from Vietnam and Farm Fresh at 6:30 p.m. — Joey Villar