Cignal, PLDT eye PVL top four against ZUS Coffee, Farm Fresh

Games on Thursday
(FilOil Arena)
4 p.m. – Cignal vs ZUS Coffee
6:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Farm Fresh

SIBLING rivals Cignal and PLDT will try to close in on a top four finish in the preliminaries that would give them an easier path to the semifinals as they battle separate foes in the PVL All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil Arena.

The Cignal Super Spikers (4-2) clash with the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles (1-5) at 4 p.m. while the PLDT High Speed Hitters (4-1) battle the Farm Fresh Foxies (2-3) at 6:30 p.m. eyeing nothing less than a win for that place in the qualifying round reserved for the top four.

Of course, making it there would push them one win closer from claiming the first two semis seats, while leaving the rest, including the qualifying round losers, into a rigorous eight-team play-in phase where one loss would mean outright elimination.

It would also be a better scenario for both Cignal and PLDT if they both ended up in the semis since it would push the Manny V. Pangilinan franchises to a dream title showdown.

But as for the High Speed Hitters, the PVL on Tour and Invitational Conference titlists, they’re not rushing it that much.

“We’re taking it a game at a time because of the unpredictability of the conference,” said resurgent PLDT spiker Kianna Dy.

“It’s like you can’t predict who’s going to win or lose so it’s very important to focus on just the next game and also treat all of the games as important.”

Cignal is also looking at bouncing back from a stinging 25-23, 20-25, 11-25, 25-23, 15-12 defeat to Akari on Saturday that derailed the former’s bid of inching closer to the qualifying round.

But the Super Spikers would have their chance again as they face off the struggling Thunderbelles, who seemed to be lost without their coach Jerry Yee for a period of time.

Interestingly, Mr. Yee has returned from his medical sabbatical and should be back in harness in time for this critical matchup with Cignal. — Joey Villar