There are two things the Choco Mucho Flying Titans can be excited about when the PVL All-Filipino Conference unfurls Saturday at the Filoil Arena.
One is Eya Laure and the other Sisi Rondina.
Laure makes her much anticipated debut with the Rebisco franchise, while Rondina hopes to make a big splash in her comeback when they face the Akari Chargers in an early clash of two of the league’s giants at 6:30 p.m.
“I’m just excited to have a player like Eya (Laure) in our team as well as the return of Sisi,” said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin. “We all know they will contribute greatly to the team.”
Except for a few free agent pickups, Akari didn’t do much in shaking up an already loaded roster that included Fifi Sharma, Grethcel Soltones, Ivy Lacsina, Faith Nisperos, Celine Domingo and Mars Alba among others — all pivotal in the club’s pair of third place finishes in last year’s AFC and Reinforced Conference.
And Alinsunurin knows they’re in for an acid test.
“It will be a tough first match, that’s for sure,” he said.
Galeries Tower and Cignal, for their part, draw first blood as they face off at 4 p.m. in a duel between two squads that went different ways during the wild and wooly free agent-signing season.
The Highrisers literally went for the best talents available in the market headed by battle-scarred Aiza Pontillas, Jules Samonte, Erika Raagas and Gayle Pascual just to name a few.
The Super Spikers, in contrast, opted to keep it laid back and added just one setter in Ivy Perez and kept the line up headed by Vannie Gandler, Erika Santos, Roselyn Doria, Gel Cayuna, Dawn Catindig, Jacqueline Acuna and Ishie Lalongisip that they hope could help them contend.
“We’re relying on chemistry and experience,” said Cignal mentor Shaq delos Santos.
