THREE of the four lower-seeded PVL quarterfinalists pulled the upset rug from under their higher-seeded opponents during their respective playoff openers.
Leading the way was No. 7-seed ZUS Coffee that had itself another upset of the year contender by sweeping second-ranked Petro Gazz, 25-21, 25-23, 27-25.
READ: Jovelyn Gonzaga relishes fairy tale run with ZUS Coffee
One more win and the Thunderbelles become the first draft lottery team and lowest-seeded team since 2018 to reach the semifinals.
A little bit less of a surprise was defending champion Creamline taking care of business in a historic series-opening 25-10, 27-25, 25-21 win over Chery Tiggo.
The result marked Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses’ 100th victory in just three years in charge.
Here are the key takeaways from the final pair of series-openers in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals.
1) ZUS COFFEE IS BREWING SOMETHING SPECIAL
ZUS Coffee claimed another huge scalp in Petro Gazz since shooting Cignal down in the play-ins.
It might be luck in the eyes of others the first time around, but to end the Angels’ league-best 10-game win streak in dominant fashion from a position where they weren’t even expected to be in proves otherwise.
From a statistical standpoint, five Thunderbelles led by Chai Troncoso (14 points) hit double-figures in only three sets. Just like the win itself, to have that many top scorers in a relatively short match is a rarity.
Armed with a newfound confidence in what its dynamic core of young guns and veterans can do on a good day, ZUS Coffee to the semifinals after a 4-7 prelims run might just be a very real possibility.
2) PVL PLAYOFFS NOT AS PREDICTABLE AS IT ONCE SEEMED
The PVL’s all-new qualifying round and play-in tournament threw a few curveballs here and there with Galeries Tower and ZUS Coffee both stunning Cignal.
Even with the playing field down to the last eight, the surprises just kept on coming, as all but one of the four lower-seeds snatched Game One.
Choco Mucho at No. 5, Akari at No. 6, and ZUS Coffee at No. 7 toppled fourth-seed PLDT, third-seed Galeries Tower, and second-seed Petro Gazz, respectively, for 1-0 quarterfinals leads.
Even if reverse series sweeps were to play out in the coming days, to have the oft-overlooked underdogs draw first blood still bodes well for the league in terms of promoting competitive balance.
3) ALYSSA VALDEZ IS TIMELESS
The only higher seed not to be outpaced in Game One was No. 1 Creamline, even after a 19-day wait since its qualifying round win over Nxled.
Coming off a four-month injury layoff last year, Cool Smashers captain Alyssa Valdez still proved to be an indubitable force when it comes to the big stages with the highest stakes.
Valdez, at 31 years old, was one reception shy of a playoff triple-double with a game-high 16 points on 64 percent attacking efficiency, 13 digs, and nine receptions.
New generation stars might’ve started taking over the Philippine volleyball scene, but one can’t simply take Valdez out of the picture as an all-time great and the only ‘Phenom’ there is in women’s volleyball.
4) THERE'S MORE TO COACH SHERWIN THAN JUST LUCK
A hundred wins in 115 matches is not an easy feat by any stretch for any head coach.
That’s equivalent to a herculean 86.96 percent win rate.
In less than three years in charge, however, Creamline’s Sherwin Meneses did just that.
Often under scrutiny for supposedly inheriting established powerhouse teams in his career, the numbers simply don’t lie.
Being the league’s first centurion might just be the cherry on top of a one-of-a-kind PVL career as a seven-time champion head coach and the sport’s only Grand Slam-winning tactician.
And if there was still any doubts about Meneses, his sporting resume now can speak for itself.
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