The Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference resumes on Saturday after a month-long break.
Hands down, PLDT and Akari will try to upstage all the other matchups in their 6:30 p.m. clash at the Philsports Arena.
Both teams are hoping to consolidate their positions—PLDT at 3-2, while Akari stands at 3-3—and fuel their rivalry, which was ignited by their fierce competition in the past.
Take their last match, for example. Akari barely survived with a thrilling 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15 triumph.
To help everyone brush up on the PVL, let the Daily Chronicle highlight what the league offers.
Clue: It’s something that spelled success for the league in the first place—its resident superstars.
These gems of the game have not lost their spark. In fact, they are expected to keep shining as the season progresses.
Front and center is Alyssa Valdez. One of the original Creamline stalwarts, the 31-year-old Valdez bounced back from knee injuries with explosive performances just before the holiday break.
The many-time national player, easily the country’s most recognizable volleyball star, was credited for Creamline’s 10 conference titles, including last year’s Grand Slam.
Another league pillar still going strong is Myla Pablo. The power-hitting open spiker, also 31, has had a resurgence before the conference was halted, averaging 10.5 points so far.
More than anything, Pablo has reclaimed her leadership role for Petro Gazz, inspiring her team, which has only given away one set in all four matches it won.
And speaking of open spikers, Ara Galang has been excelling with her new team, Chery Tiggo.
The 29-year-old Galang, known for her timing and power, has added blocking to her core competencies, averaging 0.6 blocks per game—seventh in the league.
In tandem with young smasher Cess Robles, Galang seems to have found her stride, scoring 23 points (18 attacks) in the Crossovers’ opening-game victory over Capital1.
Jovelyn Gonzaga is also defying time and gravity. The 33-year-old Gonzaga has managed to overcome her injury woes with ZUS Coffee. She is the team’s second-highest scorer with 59 points (11.8 per game), behind only rising star Thea Gagate.
