The Champions League for men’s and women’s teams is scheduled for November. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Baguio and California Precision Sports may be newcomers into the national scene but the two clubs are ready to introduce themselves in a wider scale.
The Lady Highlanders will open the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League against PetroGazz at 10 am Saturday at Aquamarine Recreational Center in Lipa City, Batangas.
CPS, which is based in Antipolo City, will then take on perennial powerhouse F2 Logistics at 1:30 pm.
The Tuguegarao Perlas Spikers will then close the opening day of the tournament against Chery Tiggo.
“The underdogs are the ones who bring the fight and we consider ourselves the dark horse of the tournament,” said Baguio’s Yul Benosa in Filipino.
Baguio captain and setter Cherry Atuban is not new to major club competition as she led Baguio, together with outside hitter Ann Atuban, in the 2016 V-League tournament.
“Competing in this event is a big thing for us,” said Atuban in Filipino. “Our motivation to join the tournament is to get more exposure for the younger players and to play against the players who we see on TV. My advice to the rookies is they shouldn’t lose focus, don’t get starstruck when they see the star players.”
“I think the one thing we can treasure from this stint, whatever result we get, is the experience and the gratefulness that we were invited and that we will be able to represent the city,” added Atuban.
CPS, the tournament’s youngest team, has the same sentiment as the Lady Highlanders.
Welcoming the club, however, are five-time Philippine Super Liga champions Cargo Movers.
“It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. As long as we play our best in every set and every game that we will be having in this league, we will be happy because as our team (California Precision Sports) motto said ‘nothing to lose, everything to gain,” said CPS captain Kizzie Madriaga.