Underdogs Eye Quarterfinal Spots in PVL

Games Today (Saturday)

4 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs. Capital1
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs. Chery Tiggo

Lower-ranked teams are drawing inspiration from Galeries Tower’s stunning upset over third-seeded Cignal as Capital1 and Chery Tiggo look to defy the odds against Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho, respectively, in today’s Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference qualifiers at the Philsports Arena.

This weekend’s matchups promise high-intensity action, with both Capital1 Solar Spikers and Chery Tiggo Crossovers fueled by Galeries Tower’s unexpected four-set victory over the HD Spikers last Thursday. The No. 10-seeded Hightowers not only secured a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals but also proved that upsets are possible, igniting hope for lower-ranked teams.

Now, No. 11 Capital1 and No. 8 Chery Tiggo are determined to follow suit, challenging the second-seeded Petro Gazz and fifth-seeded Choco Mucho, respectively.

Capital1 faces a formidable challenge against Petro Gazz, a powerhouse squad that dominated the preliminaries with nine straight wins, including three consecutive shutouts to cap their campaign in the league organized by Sports Vision and backed by Watsons.

The Solar Spikers will need standout performances from Thea Gagate, Des Clemente-De Guzman, Shola Alvarez, Roma Mae Doromal, Norielle Ipac, Heather Guino-o, Patty Orendain, Sydney Niegos, and Leila Cruz to stand a chance against the Angels.

On the other hand, Petro Gazz boasts a deep and balanced attack led by Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma, and Nicole Tiamzon. With coach Koji Tsuzurabara at the helm, the Angels have the upper hand heading into their 4 p.m. showdown.

Meanwhile, the 6:30 p.m. match between Chery Tiggo and Choco Mucho is shaping up to be a must-watch battle. Despite dealing with roster challenges, the Crossovers have the firepower to push the Flying Titans to the limit.

Coach Norman Miguel will rely on Cess Robles, Ara Galang, Julia Samonte, Mary Rhose Dapol, Seth Rodriguez, Cza Carandang, Pauline Gaston, and Shaya Adorador to deliver under pressure against a talented Choco Mucho squad led by the explosive Sisi Rondina.

Isa Molde has also been a consistent force, while veterans Dindin Manabat, Maika Ortiz, Royse Tubino, Cherry Nunag, Lorraine Pecana, and Mars Alba are all capable of stepping up when needed.

The winners of today’s matches will join Creamline and Galeries Tower in the quarterfinals.

The final day of qualifiers on Tuesday will feature No. 6 Farm Fresh taking on No. 7 Akari, while fourth-seeded PLDT faces ninth-ranked ZUS Coffee.

Teams that fall short today will still have a shot at advancing through the play-in tournament. Group 1 will feature teams ranked 7th, 10th, and 11th, while Group 2 will consist of teams ranked 8th, 9th, and 12th. Both groups will compete in a single round-robin, with the top teams securing the last two quarterfinal spots.

With underdogs proving their mettle, expect an action-packed weekend as Capital1 and Chery Tiggo attempt to shake up the standings and keep their title hopes alive.

The PVL All-Filipino Conference is supported by Arena Plus, Fabriano Appliances, Milcu, iColor & Argan Beauty, Tapa King, Sport Radar, and Mikasa.

Games are telecast live on Pilipinas Live, RPTV, One Sports, One Sports+, and pvl.ph.