KNOCKOUT QUARTERFINALS: No room for error as local squads eye reversals vs AVC titans

Games today (Thursday)

4 p.m. – Zhetysu VC vs PLDT

7 p.m. – Creamline vs Nakhon Ratchasima

Here comes the tough part.

After finishing second in their respective pools, PLDT and Creamline now face daunting tasks in the quarterfinals of the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions Cup at the Philsports Arena.

It’s win-or-go-home as both squads square off against the top seeds of the opposite groups today (Thursday).

The knockout stage kicks off at 4 p.m. with the High Speed Hitters, who placed second in Pool D, battling Pool A top seed Zhetysu VC of Kazakhstan, and the Cool Smashers, who placed second in Pool A, clashing with the undefeated Nakhon Ratchasima QminC from Thailand, the top team from Pool D, at 7 p.m.

Petro Gazz will take on Beijing Baic Motor on Friday.

Despite a heartbreaking five-set loss to the Thais last Tuesday, PLDT proved its resilience, rallying from a 0-2 hole before falling short in the decider. That performance showcased the High Speed Hitters’ fight – but against the powerful Kazakhs, resilience alone won’t be enough. They’ll need to execute a near-perfect game plan to crack the tall and disciplined Zhetysu defense, which had previously swept the Cool Smashers.

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort and his team have had a brief window to analyze their opponents during Wednesday’s break, drawing up tactics to slow down the Kazakh juggernaut. The margin for error? Almost none.

But Ricafort believes their grueling five-set showdown against Nakhon Ratchasima will serve as a valuable learning experience – one that will ignite his team’s determination.

“Same nung bago mag-Thailand. Alam naman namin high level, malakas and all. Pero bilog pa rin naman bola. Tulad ngayon, wala naman nag-expect na makakahaboll kami ng dalawa. Pero umabot kami sa dulo (Same as before we faced Thailand. We already knew the level was high, that they were strong and all. But the ball is still round. Like now – no one really expected us to catch up by two sets. But we made it all the way to the end),” said Ricafort.

“So tingnan ulit namin kung saan aabot against Kazakhstan. Pero definitely ilalabas at tatrabahuhin namin. So tingnan natin sa Thursday (So we’ll see again how far we can go against Kazakhstan. But we will definitely give our all and work hard for it. So let’s see on Thursday),” added Ricafort.

Fil-Canadian Savannah Davison – currently the third-best scorer in the tournament – will once again anchor the squad alongside Cuban import Wilma Salas and resurgent Kianna Dy against a Kazakhstan side powered by Karyna Denysova, Valeriya Yakutina and Tatyana Nikitina.

Likewise, Creamline is staring down an even steeper hill. Nakhon Ratchasima enters the quarterfinals with an imposing reputation, having survived a scare against the Angels and sweeping Pool D.

Despite suffering defeats in their final pool matches, Creamline and PLDT advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament with identical 1-1 records with both squads remaining firmly in the hunt for the title.

The Cool Smashers opened their campaign with a dominant win over Al Naser of Jordan but were stopped by a hard-fought loss to Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu – a result that underscored the level of competition awaiting them in the knockout phase. With the stakes now higher, every set and every point will prove crucial.

Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses emphasized the importance of resilience and mental toughness as his team prepares to face Thailand’s top-tier squad.

“It’s really up to the players to handle defeat. These aren’t kids anymore – they know they have to move on quickly,” said Meneses in Filipino. “In sports, that’s just how it is. What matters most is how you bounce back.”

Creamline will lean on its trio of imports – Erica Staunton, Anastassiya Kolomoyets and Anastasiya Kudryashova – alongside local stalwarts Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Jeanette Panaga, Mich Gumabao, Lorie Bernardo and setter Kyle Negrito.

But Nakhon Ratchasima poses a significant threat, led by American scorer Anyse Smith, Greek veteran Eva Chantava and Thai legend Onuma Sittirak. The Thai side is unbeaten and determined to punch its ticket to the semis.

With only two slots at stake for the prestigious FIVB World Club Championship in Thailand this August, the stakes are sky-high. For both PLDT and Petro Gazz, it’s now or never – a moment to rise, outdo themselves and defy expectations.

Organized by Sports Vision, the eight-day championship is backed by federation partners Mikasa, Mizuno, and Grand Sport and supported by local partners  PLDT, MWell, Eagle Cement, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, Cignal and The Look Group.