EST Cola, Ho Chi Minh ready to shake up PVL Invitational

EST Cola of Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City Volleyball Club of Vietnam may not carry the same household names as the Premier Volleyball League’s top local clubs, but they are coming to the PVL Invitational with something more important than star billing: the talent, experience and ambition to challenge for the title.

Far from being mere visitors, the two Southeast Asian sides are expected to bring contrasting styles and international experience that could disrupt the established order when the Invitational blasts off Monday (Aug. 31) at the Araneta Coliseum.

Their presence makes the tournament a far less predictable affair.

Creamline may have the deepest collection of proven stars. PLDT enters with the confidence of a defending champion.

Nxled has assembled a star-studded roster capable of making a deep run, while Farm Fresh has the veteran presence and young firepower to cause problems.

But EST Cola and Ho Chi Minh City offer something the local teams cannot easily replicate – a different brand of volleyball forged by competition outside the Philippines, along with players accustomed to the demands of the regional game.

And both foreign squads are coming to win.

EST Cola, formerly composed of Thailand’s Under-20 national squad, already knows what it takes to compete in the Invitational. It finished fourth in its first appearance in 2024, losing to eventual third-place finisher and 2023 champion Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan in straight sets.

This time, however, the Thai side returns with greater familiarity and cohesion – and loftier ambitions.

Leading its title charge are hitters Papatchaya Phontham and Nannaphat Moonjakham, middle blocker Waruni Kanram, and liberos Jiratcha Naoprachum and Nichakorn Wansuk.

The five standouts also have the benefit of having played together in last year’s VTV International Cup, giving EST Cola an added layer of chemistry that could prove crucial in a tournament where teams must navigate a demanding six-game schedule in just eight days.

That familiarity, combined with Thailand’s reputation as one of Southeast Asia’s traditional volleyball powers, makes EST Cola a potentially dangerous opponent for any of the four local clubs.

Ho Chi Minh City, meanwhile, arrives with something to prove.

Vietnam’s new representative will be eager to erase the memory of the country’s sixth-place finish in the 2023 Invitational, when Kinh Bac Bac Ninh failed to win a single match.

Ho Chi Minh City Volleyball Club is a different representative and is determined to show that Vietnamese volleyball remains a force to be reckoned with in the region.

The Vietnamese side will bank on the firepower of hitters Thi Kim Thanh Dang, Thi Bich Diep and Thi Nha Phuong Nguyen, backed by middle blockers Thi My Xuyen Le, Thi Nhung Dao and Thi My Duyen Dang.

They may not have the familiarity that the Philippine clubs enjoy with the local court, but their international pedigree and distinct style could make Ho Chi Minh City an especially difficult matchup once the tournament gets underway.
That is precisely what makes this Invitational intriguing.

The local clubs remain the favorites, but the foreign teams could quickly turn the competition into a six-way race.

Creamline is chasing a third championship in five years, while PLDT is looking to make it back-to-back titles. Nxled, meanwhile, has enough star power to challenge the established hierarchy, and Farm Fresh is hoping its potent blend of veterans and rising talents – led by Trisha Tubu – can carry it deep into the competition.
Yet talent and experience alone may not decide the winner.

With six matches packed into eight days, stamina, depth and the ability to adjust from one opponent to the next will be just as critical.

For EST Cola and Ho Chi Minh City, that grind could be an opportunity rather than an obstacle.
They are not here simply to test themselves against the PVL’s best.

They are here to challenge them – and, if everything falls into place, take the championship home.