AHEAD of the final day of pool play in the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference on Tuesday, five teams remain in contention for three semifinal spots alongside reigning champion Creamline and foreign guest teams Kurashiki Ablaze and Kinh Bac Bac Ninh.
From late-game comebacks to five-set thrillers, the compressed schedule of the league’s midseason tilt produced epic battles and tight-knit pool battles across the board.
But for Pool A’s PLDT and Chery Tiggo and Pool B’s Choco Mucho, Cignal, and F2 Logistics, it is all to play for in the closing salvo of the preliminaries as their results could either send them to the semis or relegate them to the classification phase.
See how each of the five contenders can punch one of the last three semis tickets:
Pool A (PLDT, Chery Tiggo (2-1))
Barring its straight sets loss to the Cool Smashers, PLDT had a solid prelims run, not conceding a single set against also-rans Akari and Gerflor.
The High Speed Hitters, however, share an identical 2-1 (win-loss) record with fellow contender Chery Tiggo.
And it is only by virtue of match points that PLDT gained the upper hand over its nearest rival (PLDT 6-5 CTC).
Just like PLDT, Chery Tiggo also suffered a straight sets beatdown from Creamline but subsequently prevailed in five sets over Akari and in straight sets against Gerflor.
But such statistics won’t matter anymore as their prelims finale showdown with the Crossovers on Tuesday has one straightforward implication — win or go home.
Simply put, regardless of the final scoreline, whoever wins between PLDT or Chery Tiggo will join Creamline as Pool A’s top two squads in the semis.
Pool B (Choco Mucho, Cignal, F2 Logistics (3-1))
It has been quite the rollercoaster ride in Pool B as each of the last three contending teams have topped the group at some point in the prelims.
From the get-go, F2 Logistics made its resounding presence felt after a three-game unbeaten run against Farm Fresh, Cignal, and Choco Mucho before dropping a heart-pounding five-setter to Petro Gazz.
The HD Spikers and Flying Titans had parallel routes to their current positions as Cignal split its first two games before winning its last two, while Choco Mucho won its first two before splitting its last two.
For this pool, the second match on Tuesday between F2 Logistics and also-ran Foton will set the tone for the succeeding battle featuring contenders Cignal and Choco Mucho.
Regardless of how many sets it will take, a Cargo Movers win over the Tornadoes will give them an outright semis spot and will set up a do-or-die clash between Cignal and Choco Mucho for the last semis ticket in Pool B.
But if F2 Logistics loses to Foton, the Cignal-Choco Mucho winner takes the outright semis spot instead. Statistical tiebreakers will then determine which between F2 or the Cignal-Choco Mucho loser advances to the semis.
These metrics, in order, include match points, sets ratio (no. of sets won / no. of sets lost), and set points ratio (no. of set points won / no. of set points lost).
For all five teams, the stakes could not be any higher on the final day of prelims action on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena featuring also-rans Gerflor and Akari (9:30 a.m.), F2 Logistics and Foton (12 p.m.), Choco Mucho and Cignal (4 p.m.), and Chery Tiggo and PLDT (6:30 p.m.).
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