Aby Maraño leads new-look Chery Tiggo.–PVL PHOTO
After all the offseason roster revamps, three teams from the Premier Volleyball League finally get to unwrap their improved lineups as the new season nears.
Petro Gazz, Chery Tiggo and Cignal headline the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League that will be held at Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The three squads return to tournament action after recalibrating their teams in the offseason, supercharging their rosters by signing players from the F2 Logistics team that disbanded after the previous All-Filipino Conference.
The Crossovers, who will open their campaign against Cignal today at 6 p.m., opted to infuse their young core with veteran power by signing Aby Maraño and Ara Galang from the Cargo Movers while also bringing back Jeanette Villareal from Gerflor.
READ: Aby Maraño, Ara Galang add experience to youthful Chery Tiggo core
“To be the champions,” Maraño said of her new squad’s goal at the launch of the Champions League on Friday. “[We] won’t allow our hardship and dedication in training to go to waste.”
The new Crossovers will backstop Laure sisters EJ and Eya, Cess Robles and former PVL Most Valuable Player Mylene Paat, who all led Chery Tiggo to a fourth place finish last conference.
Cignal, who clinched the bronze medal in the previous conference, bolstered its floor defense after acquiring libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig from F2 while also injecting youth in its offense with spiker Jov Fernandez.
READ: F2 Logistics’ PVL debut ‘extra special’ for Aby Maraño
The HD Spikers, still led by its promising spiker Vanie Gandler and the experienced Ces Molina and Jovelyn Gonzaga, will measure themselves versus Petro Gazz on Monday.
In its rebuilding phase, the Angels welcomed back Myla Pablo and another hitter in Michele Morente from PLDT to bolster their quest to return as one of the superior teams in the league,
Pablo will be joined by former fellow Cargo Movers Ethan Arce and Joy Dacoron who will guard the middle spot as Petro Gazz also appointed Japanese coach Koji Tsuzurabara at the helm.
“It’s a wide-open field as all teams vow to wage strong fights,” said PNVF secretary general Donald Caringal of the third edition of the tournament.
“With a balanced cast of seasoned pro clubs, new-look squads and collegiate teams, expect the matches to be a toss-up for the prestigious title,” he added.