By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Four teams hope the Holy Week break will give them enough time to rejuvenate in time for the crucial race for the last two semifinal spots in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Farm Fresh, Nxled, Creamline and Akari have until their April 7 knockout matches to regroup and recalibrate, with only the two winners joining early semifinalists PLDT and Cignal.
The Foxies and the Chameleons collide in their first duel, while the Cool Smashers and the Chargers clash in the other in a pair of anticipated showdowns.
The winner of the Farm Fresh-Nxled clash will set up a semis showdown with PLDT, while the victor in the Creamline-Akari battle will face Cignal.
The first meeting between Farm Fresh and Nxled went down the wire, with the Chameleons edging out a five-set victory behind the explosive efforts of Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo and MJ Phillips.
In that match, Farm Fresh’s Trisha Tubu also turned head with a stellar 28-point performance, establishing herself as a major offensive threat.
So formidable is Tubu that she currently ranks as the league’s second-higher scorer while leading in the spiking department.
In the other pairing, multi-titled Creamline aims to return to familiar territory and further cement its dynasty against a dangerous Akari side which finished third last year.
While championship experience plays a big role for the Cool Smashers led by seasoned players Alyssa Valdez, Michelle Gumabao, Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons, the Chargers showcase impressive chemistry and firepower bannered by Ivy Lacsina, Eli Soyud and Grethcel Soltones — evident in their four-set win in their first encounter.
The league returns on April 11 with players and coaches of PLDT and Cignal among the spectators of the two crucial matches.
