A blazing battle is already raging on more than a month before the official start of hostilities in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League.
Competing clubs engage in a thrilling arms race with significant recruitments already locked or set to formally take place before the season opens on 17 February.
Powerhouse teams Creamline and PLDT made the biggest deals after snaring top stars to beef up their respective rosters according to multiple sources.
Middle blocker Bea de Leon and libero Denden Lazaro-Revilla are taking their talents to the Cool Smashers jumping from Creamline’s sister team Choco Mucho.
The development came just a month after the Flying Titans, who had earlier parted ways with opposite spiker Caitlin Viray, achieved a breakthrough finals appearance to finish runner-up to the Cool Smashers in the 2nd All-Filipino Conference.
The duo will reunite with Creamline stars Alyssa Valdez, Ella de Jesus and Jia Morado-de Guzman, who is currently playing for the Denso Airybees in the Japan V.League.
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses now has the Ateneo de Manila University core that ruled the University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s volleyball tournament in 2014 and 2015.
Decorated libero Lazaro-Revilla will back starting libero Kyla Atienza while De Leon’s presence at the net will fill the void left by Ced Domingo, who is set to join Akari after her stint in Thailand ends by late February.
Creamline won two conference crowns last year including a 15-game tournament sweep of the 2nd AFC.
The High Speed Hitters, on the other hand, have landed the services of the former F2 Logistics troika of Kim Kianna Dy, playmaker Kim Fajardo and middle blocker Majoy Baron.
They will reunite with PLDT skipper Mika Reyes, who was their teammate when De La Salle University ended the Valdez-led Ateneo’s UAAP reign in 2016. The four were also the disbanded Cargo Movers’ main guns when they ruled the defunct Philippine Superliga’s 2016 All-Filipino Conference.
PLDT, which finished fifth last conference and has yet to step on the podium since joining the league in 2021, took in the three veterans after letting go of Mean Mendrez, Michelle Morente and Anj Legacion a week ago.
Dy, who missed the previous tournament after suffering a knee injury in the mid-season Invitational Conference semifinals, will be a great addition to the Rald Ricafort-mentored squad’s wing rotation along with Savannah Davison, Fiola Ceballos, Erika Santos, Jovelyn Prado and Jules Samonte.
Baron will fortify the frontline by teaming up with Reyes and Del Palomata while Fajardo will be joining hands with fellow former national team playmaker Rhea Dimaculangan.
Choco Mucho, meanwhile, according to a team insider is set to name former F2 Logistics setter Mars Alba, Mendrez and ex-Cignal libero Bia General in its fold.
The Flying Titans have already secured the continued services of 2nd AFC Most Valuable Player Sisi Rondina, Kat Tolentino, prized setter Deanna Wong and Maddie Madayag.
Other ex-Cargo Movers have already transferred to new clubs after F2 Logistics management decided to focus its support on the grassroots level.
Decorated libero Dawn Macandili-Cantindig and Jovelyn Fernandez signed with Cignal, Ivy Lacsina joined Nxled, Aby Marano and Ara Galang jumped to Chery Tiggo, while Ethan Arce and Joy Dacoron struck a deal with Petro Gazz, which is expected to announce the return of Myla Pablo in the coming days.
Akari beefed up its lineup by tapping veteran spiker Grethcel Soltones while Morente found a new home in Petro Gazz.
