Creamline, PLDT, and Petro Gazz will face Asian powerhouses come the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League quarterfinals.
The Philippines have made a strong showing in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, with all three of the PVL representatives—Creamline, PLDT, and Petro Gazz—advancing to the quarterfinals.
But now comes the real test, as the knockout stage pits them against some of Asia’s top volleyball clubs, all eyeing a spot in the prestigious FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship later this year.
Each team finished pool play with a 1-1 record, and their quarterfinal matchups promise to be the toughest yet.
PLDT vs Zhetysu VC (April 24, 4 p.m.)
The PLDT High Speed Hitters will be the first among the Filipino squads to take the taraflex in the playoffs.
The High Speed Hitters face Zhetysu VC, a nine-time champion in Kazakhstan and the same team that swept local powerhouse Creamline earlier in the tournament.
Despite falling short in a five-set thriller against Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima, PLDT showed grit and potential behind standout performances from Savi Davison and libero Kath Arado.
[ALSO READ: Kath Arado proud of PLDT’s fight against Nakhon Ratchasima in AVC Champions League]
A breakthrough win would be historic and could open the door to a possible all-Filipino semifinal.
Creamline vs Nakhon Ratchasima (April 24, 7 p.m.)
The second of a double header is a marquee matchup between the Creamline Cool Smashers and Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC, a six-time Thailand League champion.
The Thai squad already survived a five-set battle with PLDT in pool play, showcasing their composure and veteran savvy.
Creamline, which swept Jordan’s Al Naser Club before falling to Zhetysu VC, will rely on its seasoned core as well as its import trio of Erica Staunton, Anastassiya Kolomoyets, and Anastasiya Kudryashova.
[ALSO READ: Creamline’s Kudryashova draws on familiarity against Zhetysu, looks ahead to potential QF push]
Petro Gazz vs Beijing BAIC Motor (April 25, 7 p.m.)
Closing out the quarterfinals, the Petro Gazz Angels face an even steeper challenge in China’s Beijing BAIC Motor, the runner-up of the Chinese Volleyball Super League.
BAIC Motor cruised through pool play unbeaten, boasting a lineup which includes Chinese star spiker Ye Jin, libero Wang Mengjie, and import Jelena Mladjenovic.
The Angels, however, also have winning momentum on their side after a clinical straight-set win over Hong Kong’s Hip Hing.
Petro Gazz team captain Remy Palma and PVL All-Filipino MVP Brooke Van Sickle will look to lead the charge against one of the tournament’s top contenders.
[ALSO READ: Brooke Van Sickle cherishes AVC competition as Petro Gazz heads to quarterfinals]
A shot at history
If both PLDT and Creamline win their respective quarterfinals, they will meet in a historic all-Filipino semifinal—an unprecedented achievement for Philippine volleyball on the continental stage.
Meanwhile, a Petro Gazz win could set up a rematch with Taipower, who defeated them in pool play, or a high-profile showdown with Vietnam’s domestic champions VTV Binh Dien Long An, led by Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, or more commonly known as T4.
[ALSO READ: T4-led VTV Binh Dien Long An books AVC quarterfinal berth, ousts Saipa Tehran]
With the AVC Champions League heating up, the upcoming matchups will serve as opportunities for Philippine teams to prove they belong among Asia's elite.