Santa Rosa tests a debuting Imus side’s mettle while Navy and Army collide in a pair of matches tipped to stir up play right at the start of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference on Sunday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
The Laguna-based Lions showed a lot of promise in its league debut last year but are coming into this year’s battle armed with added firepower after signing up former VNS hitters Uriel Mendoza and Kevin Montemayor.
"We played with an under-17 team the first time out. But now, we have new players,” said Lions assistant coach Carlos Cantor, whose wards placed fifth in the last edition of the country’s first and only men’s volley league ruled by National U. “Now, we aim to make it to the Top 4.”
But the Imus AJAA Spikers, handled by veteran coach Sammy Acaylar, has also formed a formidable squad led by his aces at Perpetual Help, including Louie Ramirez and Hero Austria, with two-time league-best setter Ish Polvorosa, four-time best libero Ricky Marcos, and many-time best middle blocker winners Anjo Pertierra, Kim Malabunga and Francis Saura backstopping the team.
That makes their 4 p.m. showdown worth watching although focus will also be on the 6 p.m. face-off between the Sealions and the Army Troopers, who placed third and last, respectively, in last year’s seven-team competition.
But this year’s title chase is expected to be fiercer and more unpredictable with four squads joining, making it an 11-team cast.
Play is a single round robin elims with the top four advancing to the semis, another round robin phase. The top two will dispute the crown.
Games are telecast live on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play, and SMART Live Stream.
While Navy posted a decent showing the last time out, only skipper Greg Dolor, Christian Marcelino, Jemmy Entig and Marvin Hairami are staying put for the Sealions, who, however, have tapped former Cignal playmaker Owen Suarez, who swapped places with EJ Casaña.
"Yung last season lineup namin, bale anim 'yung nawala so new members na naman. Bagong adjustment pero lalaban naman ang PGJC-Navy," said Sealions head coach Cecille Cruzada, the lone female coach in the league organized by Sports Vision.
In contrast, Army has kept its core, led PJ Rojas, Kenneth Bayking, Antonio Torres, Kevin Liberato, Jaidal Abdulmajid and Benjaylo Labide.
Other teams competing are Cignal, Cotabato, Iloilo, Vanguard and VNS Volley Club.
NU, which will also parade a practically new, young squad, opens its title-retention drive on Wednesday against Vanguard at 6 p.m. while Air Force faces a debuting Iloilo squad at 4 p.m.
