ONLY PLDT gambled on fielding just two imports instead of a maximum three among the Philippine teams vying in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League.
Creamline signed up the foreign trio of Erica Staunton, Anastassiya Kolomoyets and Anastasiya Kudryashova while Petro Gazz stuck with its MVP duo of Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips along with American winger Gia Day.
As for PLDT, it only added one foreign player to its AVC roster as mainstay Fil-Canadian winger Savi Davison was classified as an import by virtue of her affiliation with Volleyball Canada.
READ PLDT pounds Aussie side in auspicious AVC start for host nation
A last-minute call-up saw former PVL champion and best import Wilma Salas don a new shade of red as a High Speed Hitter for the week-long tournament.
The 34-year-old Cuban attacker had a winning debut for PLDT as she dished out 10 points and 15 digs in a 25-19, 25-12, 25-12 sweep of reigning Australian champions Queensland Pirates.
On top of that, Davison was at her usual best posting 14 markers and eight digs.
But why did PLDT pass on the chance to add one more import? Head coach Rald Ricafort bared that it wasn’t by choice.
The champion PVL coach said he wanted to start a long-term project with the High Speed Hitters which begins with exposing as much of his local core of players to a higher level of play in the internationals tage.
“It’s more of management decision, pero at the same time, isa rin sa mga objectives kasi is to give a chance du’n sa locals namin,” Ricafort said.
“Mas gusto namin siya maging long-term [project] na ma-experience nu’ng team, katulad nung mga nala-lineup sa PVL sa amin, para maging mas babad sila sa PVL next conference.”
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