FILE–Eya Laure is on her way out of the Chery Tiggo Crossovers ahead of the new PVL Season. –PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Eya Laure sweepstakes is on as the prized outside spiker is in the process of buying out her contract with Chery Tiggo a month before the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Multiple sources revealed to Inquirer Sports that Eya Laure could be bidding farewell to her first PVL team. Meanwhile, her sister EJ and libero Buding Duremdes have parted ways with the Crossovers.
READ: PVL: No plans of slowing down for Eya Laure, surging Chery Tiggo
A source privy to the situation bared that several teams have started pursuing Eya amid the possible buyout, including Choco Mucho, which would reunite her with former University of Santo Tomas teammate Sisi Rondina.
Inquirer Sports contacted Chery Tiggo team manager Aaron Velez and coach Norman Miguel for confirmation about the departure of their players but they have yet to respond as of posting time.
The Laure sisters and Duremdes were conspicuously missing in Chery Tiggo’s recent training, sparking speculations of their exit from the team.
READ: Eya Laure, Sisi Rondina excited to reunite at Alas Pilipinas
Eya turned pro with the Crossovers before the PVL Invitational Conference last year as part of the team’s UAAP haul with UST teammate Imee Hernandez and National University stars Jen Nierva, Cess Robles, and Joyme Cagande.
The 25-year-old Eya, who won the Best Outside Spiker in the 2023 second All-Filipino Conference, led Chery Tiggo to back-to-back All-Filipino semifinals but ended up fourth in both editions.
She missed the chance to play for Chery in the Reinforced and Invitational Conferences due to her stint with Alas Pilipinas.
New start for EJ Laure, Duremdes
EJ ends an eight-year stint with Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the PVL where she played with her sister Eya Laure. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
EJ also sat out in the last two tournaments of the 2024 season. Her exit ends an eight-year stint with Chery Tiggo since signing with the franchise when she started playing for the defunct Foton Tornadoes in the Philippine Superliga in 2016.
Duremdes, who signed with the Crossovers in 2020, will be looking for a fresh start as she would no be longer competing for playing time with liberos Nierva and rookie Karen Verdeflor.
READ: PVL: Sisters EJ, Eya Laure thrilled to share the court again at Chery Tiggo
Losing three key players will be a big blow, but Chery Tiggo still has several veterans left in Ara Galang, Mylene Paat, Shaya Adorador, Alina Bicar, Aby Maraño, Cza Carandang, and Jasmine Nabor leading young guns Nierva, Hernandez, Robles, and Mary Rhose Dapol for the longest and biggest All-Filipino Conference yet starting in November.
The Crossovers will also parade new coach Miguel, who parted ways with NU after ruling the UAAP Season 86 last May.