The Final Four lineup of the 2014 PVL All-Filipino Conference is nearly complete.
With league-leading Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, and defending champion Creamline clinching three out of the four semifinal spots, there's just one berth left to claim.
Will Chery Tiggo lock down the fourth spot, or will Lady Luck favor PLDT, currently ranked fifth, for a miracle comeback to take it?
Let's see what the final week of the elimination round has in store.
Tuesday, April 23 – PhilSports Arena, Pasig
Capital1 Solar Spikers vs. Nxled Chameleons – 4:00 p.m.
While the remaining contenders have their sights set on the coveted title, the eliminated teams are in their final stretch, striving for a strong finish to their respective campaigns.
Such is the case for the Capital1 Solar Spikers and the Nxled Chameleons, both of whom are out of the playoff race but are determined to win their last two matches.
Capital1, one of the two newcomers in the league, aims to chalk up two more victories before dropping the curtains down to its maiden campaign. This would mean taking down win-hungry Nxled.
[ALSO READ: PVL: After early stumbles, Ivy Lacsina seeks strong finish for Nxled]
However, that won’t be an easy task, as the Chameleons are eager to bounce back from a loss to the Cool Smashers and pick up steam heading into their last assignment against the Angels on Saturday.
Choco Mucho Flying Titans vs. Farm Fresh Foxies – 6:00 p.m.
Also reeling from a tough loss to Creamline, Choco Mucho is eager to get back on track before heading into the round-robin semifinals.
[RELATED: ‘Mahirap talagang talunin ‘yung Creamline’ | Dante Alinsunurin gets real on tough Choco Mucho loss in PVL]
The Flying Titans, once perched atop the standing for weeks on end, endured a harrowing beatdown from their longtime tormentors in the Cool Smashers.
The stinging defeat did not just snap Choco Mucho’s four-game winning run, but also extended its losing streak to its accomplished sister team to 12 games, a concerning trend that began ever since the team's inception in 2019.
[ALSO READ: ‘Everything happens for a reason’ | Sisi Rondina stays positive despite Choco Mucho loss to Creamline in PVL]
In need of a morale boost, the Flying Titans are bent on securing a convincing win against the Farm Fresh Foxies, who aim to close their campaign on a positive note and gain momentum for the next conference.
[RELATED: PVL: Trisha Tubu, Farm Fresh embrace growth through new system amid challenging campaign]
Thursday, April 25 – PhilSports Arena
Chery Tiggo Crossovers vs. Galeries Tower Highrisers – 4:00 p.m.
The fate of the fourth and final semifinal spot is in the hands of the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, who possess an 8-2 record with 23 points.
All the Crossovers need to do is defeat the Galeries Tower Highrisers, regardless of whether it takes three, four, or five sets.This victory would bring their record to 9-2, eliminating the PLDT High Speed Hitters, who can only reach a maximum of eight wins.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Eya Laure hopes Chery Tiggo can sustain good run of form as semis race nears climax]
However, if the also-ran Galeries Tower pulls off a surprising upset, losing in straight sets or in four sets could spell disaster for Chery Tiggo, especially if PLDT sweeps Creamline in the nightcap. In this scenario, the High Speed Hitters will be able to tie the record and point tally of the Crossovers, allowing PLDT to advance through the set ratio path.
Should the Highrisers beat Chery Tiggo in five sets, the Crossovers would still earn 24 points, a point higher than PLDT’s maximum of 23 points, allowing them to progress despite the defeat. For context, a team can still earn a point, even after losing in five sets.
[ALSO READ: Chery Tiggo's Eya Laure is back-to-back PVL Player of the Week]
To summarize, Chery Tiggo's ideal outcome is a win. If that doesn't happen, losing in five sets is the next best option for the Crossovers. Anything other than these outcomes would leave the door open for PLDT to capitalize.
In the unlikely scenario where Chery Tiggo and PLDT tie in record, points, and set ratio, the head-to-head matchup from the preliminary round becomes the tiebreaker. Chery Tiggo holds the advantage, having defeated PLDT last April 16.
PLDT High Speed Hitters vs. Creamline Cool Smashers – 6:00 p.m.
Although the PLDT High Speed Hitters can no longer control their own destiny, they still face a must-win situation.
As noted earlier, the High Speed Hitters have a slim chance of reaching the next round if the Crossovers lose in three or four sets. However, to keep this faint hope alive, they must sweep the Cool Smashers, which is by no means an easy feat.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Alyssa Valdez, Creamline refuse to let semis hopes slip in resounding win over Choco Mucho]
After all, Creamline has regained its championship form, as evidenced by the champs dominant straight-set victory over Choco Mucho last Thursday, April 18. Not to mention that the Cool Smashers are aiming to build momentum for the upcoming round-robin semifinals.
Making the challenge all the more daunting, PLDT is reeling from back-to-back losses to the Chery Tiggo and also-ran Cignal. This rough patch has raised concerns within the High Speed Hitters, prompting Savi Davison to issue an urgent call to action to her teammates.
[RELATED: PVL: Savi Davison calls on PLDT teammates to step up as semis hopes hang by a thread]
Should PLDT prevail over Creamline, even if Chery Tiggo secures the last semifinal spot in the previous game, the win would still be a meaningful way to finish the conference on a high note.
Saturday, April 27 – PhilSports Arena, Pasig
Cignal HD Spikers vs. Capital1 Solar Spikers – 2:00 p.m.
After being eliminated from playoff contention and denting PLDT's chances last Saturday, April 20, the Cignal HD Spikers made it clear that they are now playing for pride.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Emotional Jovelyn Gonzaga, Cignal fought for pride in hard-earned win over PLDT]
This motivation has prompted the HD Spikers to go all-out to end their conference with a victory.
However, blocking their path is the league neophyte, the Capital1 Solar Spikers, who have little to lose but everything to gain in their debut campaign.
Petro Gazz Angels vs. Nxled Chameleons – 4:00 p.m.
The Petro Gazz Angels are aiming to soar into the semifinals with strong momentum, while the Nxled Chameleons are looking for a more successful conclusion than they had during their debut in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference.
[ALSO READ: PVL: When will MJ Phillips play again? That would depend on the whole Petro Gazz]
The Angels are riding on a four-game winning streak. With a fifth straight victory in sight, the Brooke Van Sickle-led contenders intend to tame the Chameleons. Nxled, however, is determined to improve on their 9th-place finish from the previous conference.
While head coach Taka Minowa's aspiration to break into the top six may be out of reach, the Chameleons still have a shot at climbing to 7th place. To achieve this, they must win against Capital1 in the previous game and also against the Angels, while having Akari and Farm Fresh lose their remaining matches.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Lycha Ebon, Nxled gear up for strong finish after morale-boosting win over Farm Fresh]
Akari Chargers vs. Strong Group Athletics – 6:00 p.m.
To drop the curtains on the preliminary round of the competition, the Akari Chargers and Strong Group Athletics face off in hopes of ending their respective campaigns on a high note.
The odds are largely in favor of the Chargers, who boast a talent-laden arsenal of veterans and young guns, providing them with more depth and expertise than SGA's youthful squad, one of the two newcomers in the league.
However, Akari must not underestimate the determination of a team eager to break its 10-game losing streak and secure its first franchise victory.