Chery Tiggo eyes last PVL quarters spot in Candon

Games today (Tuesday)
Candon City Arena, Ilocos Sur
4 p.m. – Chery Tiggo vs ZUS Coffee
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Petro Gazz

The PVL On Tour wraps up its six-week, province-hopping preliminary phase with two pivotal matches today, July 29, at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.

Chery Tiggo faces ZUS Coffee in a high-stakes Pool B showdown, aiming to bounce back and secure the final outright quarterfinal berth.

The Crossovers opened their campaign with three straight wins but faltered in Iloilo last week, falling in four sets to the resurgent Creamline Cool Smashers.

Creamline finished its preliminary run with a 3-2 record.

A win by Chery Tiggo will improve its card to 4-1, tying Cignal HD and sealing an outright quarterfinal spot.

In the 6:30 p.m. Pool A match, Choco Mucho and Petro Gazz—both carrying 1-3 records—clash for better seeding ahead of the crossover knockout phase.

PLDT has already locked in the top quarterfinal spot in Pool A with a perfect 5-0 slate, capped by a straight-sets win over winless Galeries Tower in Cebu City last Sunday.

Nxled clinched the other Pool A quarterfinal slot with a 4-1 record, highlighted by a dominant victory over Farm Fresh.

If ZUS Coffee pulls off an upset over Chery Tiggo, a three-way tie for second place in Pool B will arise among ZUS, Chery Tiggo, and Creamline.

In that scenario, Creamline is likely to claim the outright berth with 10 total points, while Chery Tiggo and ZUS will have 8 and 5 points, respectively.

To avoid that complication, Chery Tiggo is expected to go all out, with Coach Norman Miguel banking on his core players—Cess Robles, Ara Galang, Shaya Adorador, and Pauline Gaston—along with promising rookies Renee Penafiel and Jyne Soreño.

ZUS Coffee, however, is out to spoil the party.

Looking to build momentum heading into the knockout phase, the Thunderbelles will rely on top scorer Chinnie Arroyo, backed by veterans Fiola Ceballos, Jove Gonzaga, Chai Troncoso, and Kate Santiago, with rookies AC Miner and Mycah Go expected to step up.

Under the tournament format, the top two teams from each pool advance directly to the quarterfinals.

Teams ranked third to sixth will battle in crossover knockout matches for the remaining four slots.

The knockout pairings are: Pool A No. 3 vs Pool B No. 6, Pool A No. 4 vs Pool B No. 5, Pool B No. 3 vs Pool A No. 6, and Pool B No. 4 vs Pool A No. 5.

These elimination matches will take place Saturday, Aug. 2, at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan City.

The quarterfinals, also knockout showdowns, will follow a 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5 format.

Beyond the on-court drama, Candon City proudly hosts the PVL On Tour for the third time, solidifying its role as a rising force in the national sports landscape.

Under the leadership of Mayor Eric Singson, the city has mobilized local stakeholders to ensure a seamless and spirited event for athletes, fans, and officials.

The Candon City Arena, with its modern amenities and high-quality facilities, reflects the city’s commitment to sports development.

This latest PVL stop aligns with the city’s broader vision to establish a lasting footprint on the Philippine sports map—not just as a venue, but as a catalyst for regional athletic growth.