UNBEATEN Cagayan Valley shoots for a fourth straight victory and an outright semifinal slot when it tangles with Cignal today in the Super Liga women’s volleyball at Philsports Arena.
Relying on a short but very effective lineup, the Lady Rising Suns are slightly favored in their 4 p.m. duel with the HD spikers, who are bidding to end a two-game losing streak.
TMS-Philippine Army tries to solidify its second-running position when it collides with slumping PLDT MyDSL at 6 p.m. while Petron tackles PCSO Bingo Milyonaryo in the 2 p.m. opening match at 2 p.m.
Format for the inaugural season calls for a short, single round-robin eliminations with the top two teams securing automatic slots in semis. The last four will dispute the two other berths in knockout matches that will pit No. 3 against No. 6, and No. 4 against No. 5.
Coach Nestor Pamilar credited Cagayan’s early success to the Rising Suns’ ability to quickly jell. He also has a surplus of firepower in Shiela Marie Pineda, Analyn Joy Benito, Joy Cases and Sandra Delos Santos and a talented libero in Angelique Dionela and setter Wendy Semana.
The HD Spikers will try to bounce back behind Venus Bernal, Honey Royse Tubino and crowd darling Michelle Datuin.
Maureen Penetrante-Ouano, Stephanie Mercado and collegiate superstar Michelle Gumabao powered the PCSO Puffins to their first win, beating Cignal late Friday.