Games Saturday
4 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs Cignal
6:30 p.m. – Akari vs Choco Mucho
Four teams launch their respective campaigns Saturday, Jan. 31, as the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference kicks off at the FilOil Playtime Centre in San Juan, setting the tone for what promises to be a compelling season-ender.
The spotlight at 4 p.m. shines on Galeries Tower, whose revamped lineup will be tested immediately against a proven and intact Cignal squad equally eager to start strong.
The Highrisers enter the conference with an almost entirely new look, unveiling 14 fresh faces and a new coach in Clarence Esteban, tasked with steering the team toward redemption after a winless stint in the 2025 Reinforced Conference.
Esteban brings a mix of youthful energy and seasoned leadership, hoping to ignite a turnaround and prove that Galeries Tower can finally challenge the league’s established contenders.
Standing in their way are the Super Spikers, the third-ranked team the Highrisers stunned in the qualifying round of the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference en route to the quarterfinals.
Despite the overhaul, Esteban will lean on veteran Aiza Pontillas, alongside holdovers Julia Coronel of Alas Pilipinas and last year’s second overall rookie pick Jean Asis, to provide stability on the court.
Completing the new-look Highrisers are Erika Raagas, Jules Samonte, Gayle Pascual, BLove Barbon, Cams Victoria, Shola Alvarez, Lycha Ebon, Julia Angeles, Dolly Verzosa, Erika Deloria, Sharya Ancheta, Venice Puzon and Maji Mangulabnan.
With barely a month to prepare, Esteban is tempering expectations while remaining optimistic about his squad’s chances to crowd the league elite with a blend of hunger and experience.
“Very short ang preparation namin kasi talagang nag-rebuild ang team, bago ang sistema,” Esteban said, noting the challenges of installing a new system.
“Malaking tulong si Aiza kasi may mag-ga-guide sa mga bata sa loob ng court,” he added, stressing the importance of veteran leadership in guiding the team.
Cignal, meanwhile, opted for continuity, making just one addition to preserve chemistry and familiarity among its core.
With Vanie Gandler, Erika Santos, Ishie Lalongisip, Jackie Acuña, Rose Aquino and Gel Cayuna, the Super Spikers bank on cohesion, depth and a strong desire to redeem themselves against the Highrisers.
The 6:30 p.m. main event between Akari and Choco Mucho is expected to be another hard-fought encounter between two squads with contrasting motivations.
The Chargers parade a largely intact roster led by Ivy Lacsina, Ced Domingo, Fifi Sharma, Eli Soyud, Justine Jazareno and Mars Alba, maintaining the backbone of a battle-tested unit.
Although they lost players such as Ezra Madrigal, Victoria and Raagas, Akari bolstered its depth with role players Cza Carandang, Jyne Sorreno, Judith Abil and Rhose Dapol, all ready to contribute when called upon.
Choco Mucho, on the other hand, enters the conference with a clear mission – bounce back from a frustrating 2025 campaign that saw the Flying Titans miss the semifinals in all conferences of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The return of electrifying hitter Sisi Rondina, coupled with Eya Laure’s comeback following a long layoff from her stint with now-defunct Chery Tiggo, has renewed optimism within the camp.
“Una, masaya and siempre excited ako sa naging resulta ng pagkuha namin kay Eya and pagbalik ni Sisi. Alam namin na malaki yung maitutulong nung dalawa samin sa pagdating ng conference,” said Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
Expect Maddie Madayag, Isa Molde, Dindin Manabat and libero Thang Ponce to provide balance, firepower and defensive solidity.
Backing them up are Caitlin Viray, Jaila Atienza and Alina Bicar, whose presence helps offset the departures of Royse Tubino, Cherry Nuñag, Bia General and Aduke Ogunsanya.
Beyond opening day, anticipation is high for the revamped conference format, which features a single round-robin elimination with no immediate eliminations, a play-in stage for lower-ranked teams, and best-of-three finals – a structure designed to reward excellence while keeping more teams in title contention longer.
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