Explosive matches kick off PVL All-Filipino  

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline opens its title defense minus its heart and soul when it meets Petro Gazz today at the start of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Team captain Alyssa Valdez will sit out their 6 p.m. encounter while recovering from a knee injury sustained in the Reinforced Conference late last year but stressed the Cool Smashers could compete even in her absence.

“I have faith in my team that they can compete even without me,” said Valdez, who hopes to suit up late in the single-round elimination or in the semifinals assuming her team makes it that far.

The proud and mighty Jonathan Ng-owned franchise, winner of last season’s Open and Invitational Conferences, kept its core of Jia de Guzman, two-time MVP Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Ced Domingo, Jeanette Panaga, Kyla Atienza, Michele Gumabao and Risa Sato intact.

In contrast, the Angels have made some significant changes including injecting a new coach in former Choco Mucho mentor Oliver Almadro to take over from Rald Ricafort, now with PLDT.

Petro Gazz also bid goodbye to vital cogs Myla Pablo, who transferred to F2 Logistics, and libero Bang Pineda, who shifted to Akari.

In this  conference, the Angels are expected to go all out for their first crown outside the Reinforced Conference, which they won twice.

Ushering in the season is the 4 p.m. tiff pitting Akari – which upgraded by tapping Pineda, Dindin Manabat from Chery Tiggo and Eli Soyud from PLDT – versus Choco Mucho, which has a new bench tactician in former national men’s squad coach Dante Alinsunurin.