Games today:
(Philsports Arena)
2:30 p.m. — Akari vs Army
5:30 p.m. — Cignal vs Chery Tiggo
Opening-day winners Chery Tiggo and Cignal gun for the early lead in a clash of equally matched teams today in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Crossovers head coach Clarence Esteban expects nothing but a tight battle in their 5:30 faceoff.
“We’re equal in skills and firepower. I think it will just boil down to which team will execute better during the match,” the Chery Tiggo mentor said.
Meanwhile, Akari and Army seek to barge into the win column in their scheduled 2:30 p.m. encounter.
The Crossovers are brimming with confidence after a huge win over F2 Logistics last Tuesday.
Locals Mylene Paat and EJ Laure carried most of the scoring load with 16 and 11 points, respectively, in Chery Tiggo’s 25-23, 25-21, 25-22, win over the limping Cargo Movers, who played without import Lindsay Stalzer due to health and safety protocols.
Crossovers Montenegrin reinforcement Jelena Cvijovic is expected to have fully adjusted to the team’s system as she tries to bounce back from an anemic debut of just six points.
Chery Tiggo will need Cvijovic’s offensive production against the HD Spikers, who are parading prolific scorers at the wing led by American import Tai Bierria.
Cignal had three players in double figures in its 20-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-16, win over Akari last week in Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.
Bierria muscled her way into 20 points while Roselyn Doria and Glaudine Trongcoso had 13 and 12, respectively.
“We haven’t reached our full potential yet but we’re slowly getting there,” HD Spikers coach Shaq de los Santos said.
The Lady Troopers, meanwhile, hope to recover from a heartbreaking, 25-17, 20-25, 26-24, 11-25, 11-15, defeat at the hands of PLDT last week.
Canadian import Laura Condotta with seasoned locals Royse Tubino, Jovelyn Gonza, Jeanette Villareal and setter Ivy Perez will try to lead Army to victory this time against Akari bannered by import Prisilla Rivera of the Dominican Republic, Erika Raagas, Janine Marciano, Princess Madrigal and libero Dani Ravena.
