A semifinal round robin that’s too close to call gets going

The four squads so far left standing in the PVL All-Filipino Conference will start a single round robin series on Saturday that will eventually trim that number down to half, making all games virtual no-tomorrow outings and putting past achievements in the back burner.

Cignal battles semifinals newcomer Farm Fresh at 4 p.m. and PLDT and Creamline square off in the 6:30 p.m. nightcap at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay in a match many have penciled to be the title game before this tournament started.

But there are no guarantees now, especially with the semifinal cast completed, not in the way those experts said it would, like when the Cool Smashers went through the proverbial eye of the needle to get here.

Turning heads

The Foxies also turned heads by coming this far after taking out Nxled, the squad that acquired the core of the defending champion Petro Gazz Angels that took a celebrated leave of absence before the tournament got underway.

Cignal and PLDT are the ones who made it to here ahead of everyone else and that could work against them, considering that they have been out of action for more than a week now.

“We know that this is going to be tough,” PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said in Filipino on the eve of their clash with the Cool Smashers, whose dynastic grip on the league ended last season when they failed to defend one of three titles they won in a Grand Slam 2024.

And that certainly makes Creamline a fearsome lot, especially since the squad is getting a boost from the most famous Cool Smasher of all, the rejuvenated Alyssa Valdez.

“It’s going to be a very interesting semifinals since these teams have already beaten us in the [preliminary and qualifying rounds],” said Valdez after unleashing 20 points and coming up with 19 excellent digs when the Cool Smashers caught the last bus ride to the semifinals by overcoming Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16, last Tuesday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan City.

“We really have to work harder and [we have to play] smarter.”

Sweep the first time

PLDT swept Creamline in their only elimination round clash, 25-22, 25-17, 25-23, last Feb. 2.

And while the seasoned Valdez is leading Creamline, Alohi Robins-Hardy, a rookie in the league who is a veteran of so many volleyball leagues here and overseas, is headlining the Foxies.

“I think being mentally ready and physically ready … (having) chemistry on the court and I think we’ll be okay,” said Robins-Hardy.

Yet Cignal holds both experience and a psychological edge, having beaten Farm Fresh in four sets during their February prelim encounter.

Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos are leading Cignal’s offense and Gel Cayuna is orchestrating the attack for Cignal.