6 teams eye last two QF berths in PVL All-Filipino

MANILA – Six teams battle for the last two quarterfinal berths in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference in the play-in tournament starting Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The Cignal HD Spikers meet the Capital1 Solar Spikers at 6:30 p.m. in Pool A, which also has the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.

The Chery Tiggo Crossovers, on the other hand, take on the Nxled Chameleons at 4 p.m. in Pool B, which also features the Farm Fresh Foxies.

Both pools will play a single round-robin series, with the top teams joining Creamline, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, PLDT, Akari and Galeries Tower in the next round.

Cignal was ranked No. 3 in the preliminaries but failed to get an outright quarterfinal slot after bowing to No. 10 Galeries Tower, 17-25, 22-25, 25-19, 19-25, in the qualifying round last Feb. 27.

Vanie Gandler, Jackie Acuña and rookie Ishie Lalongisip are expected to lead the HD Spikers while Jorelle Singh, Heather Guino-o, Leila Cruz, Norielle Ipac, Patty Orendain, Rovena Instrella, Trisha Genesis, Sydney Niego, Des Clemente-De Guzman, and playmaker Iris Tolenada will banner the Solar Spikers, who fell to the second-seeded Petro Gazz Angels, 19-25, 23-25, 21-25, in the qualifier.

Meanwhile, Chery Tiggo will rely on Ara Galang, Cess Robles, Aby Maraño, Seth Rodriguez, Pauline Gaston, Shaya Adorador and setter Jasmine Nabor against the Chameleons, who will be spearheaded by Chiara Permentilla, EJ Laure, Lycha Ebon, Krich Macaslang, May Luna-Lumahan, Jaycel delos Reyes, Jaila Atienza and Lucille Almonte.

The Pool A winner will face Petro Gazz, while the Pool B top finisher will square off with powerhouse Creamline in a best-of-three quarterfinal showdown.

Other quarterfinal matches pit Akari against Galeries Tower and Choco Mucho against PLDT. (PNA)