Professional clubs Cignal and Chery Tiggo face off in a slambang showdown to kick off the hostilities of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League on Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
The protagonists of the Premier Volleyball League 2nd All-Filipino Conference battle for bronze lock horns at 6 p.m. on the opening day of the weeklong tournament featuring five squads from the pros, amateur and collegiate ranks.
Petro Gazz and Philippine Army, meanwhile, battle at 3:30 p.m. in the curtain-raiser of the double-header feature.
But all eyes will be on the HD Spikers and Crossovers as both will parade new faces in an early rematch of their storied PVL rivalry.
Cignal, which had three third place finishes in the previous PVL season, is out to prove its tag as title favorites behind its intact core bannered by veteran winger Ces Molina.
Backstopping the reigning PVL Invitational Conference Most Valuable Player are rising star Vanie Gandler, Roselyn Doria, Riri Meneses, reigning PVL 2nd All-Filipino Conference Best Setter Gel Cayuna and new libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig along with young opposite Jovelyn Fernandez.
On the other hand, Chery Tiggo gets to test its system under new head coach Kungfu Reyes.
“This Champions League is a big venue for us. This is one for the books. Of course, we want to put the name of Chery Tiggo in the list of champions in this PNVF Champions League,” Reyes, who took over the coaching chores from Aaron Velez, said.
Just like the HD Spikers, the Crossovers are looking to gauge the progress of their chemistry with the arrival of veterans Aby Marano and Ara Galang.
Marano and Galang along with Macandili were part of the tournament’s inaugural staging champion F2 Logistics, which disbanded last December, back in 2022.
Chery Tiggo will also pin its hopes on former PVL MVP Mylene Paat, sisters EJ and Eya Laure, Shaya Adorador, Ces Robles, playmakers Alina Bicar and Jasmine Nabor, libero Jen Nierva and Cza Carandang to exact revenge on Cignal.
On the other hand, Angels Japanese mentor Koji Tsuzurabara makes his debut after taking over the coaching reins from Timmy Sto. Tomas.
Leading Petro Gazz’s charge are returning spiker Myla Pablo, newcomer Filipino-American winger Brooke Van Sickle, Remy Palma, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Jonah Sabete, playmaker Djanel Cheng, Nicole Tiamzon and recruits Michelle Morente, Ethan Arce and Joy Dacoron.
Defending champion College of Saint Benilde gets an opening day bye and will begin its title-retention bid on Monday against Army at 3:30 p.m.
