PVL schedule: Dindin Santiago-Manabat takes on former team in intriguing Choco Mucho-Akari showdown

Choco Mucho’s Dindin Santiago-Manabat will face a familiar foe in Akari as the Flying Titans and the Chargers headline a new week of PVL Reinforced Conference action.

Dindin Santiago-Manabat (left) faces Ivy Lacsina (right) and her former team Akari Chargers in PVL Reinforced action | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports

With all the drama, excitement, and high-level volleyball already witnessed on opening week, what more does week no. 2 of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference have in store?

That question will be answered sooner than later, with the league slightly tweaking its schedule taking full effect starting Tuesday, July 23.

The opening game of the triple-headers will now start one hour earlier at 1:00 p.m., with the rest of the games being clocked in at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. respectively.

You know the drill, PVL fans. Mark you calendars because another week of volleyball extravaganza is coming your way!

July 23, Tuesday – Philsports Arena, Pasig

Game 1: ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles vs. Cignal HD Spikers – 1:00 p.m.

Game 2: Choco Mucho Flying Titans vs. Akari Chargers – 3:00 p.m.

Game 3: Capital1 Solar Spikers vs. Petro Gazz Angeles- 5:00 p.m.

All games are LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app

Dindin Santiago-Manabat probably circled this gameday on her calendar and why not?

The veteran hitter faces her former team as the bounce-back seeking Choco Mucho Flying Titans battle the Akari Chargers in a battle of two squads coming off contrasting results from their opening-game.

During the conference break, Santiago-Manabat went from the Chargers to the Flying Titans in arguably the biggest mid-season player move in the PVL, if not the biggest.

Besides facing her former squad, Santiago-Manabat can get extra motivation as the Flying Titans are also eager to bounce back after a stunning straight-set loss to the Cignal HD Spikers in their last outing.

Import Zoi Faki topscored Choco Mucho in her PVL debut, dropping 13 points. Despite the setback, the Greek hitter is confident that the Flying Titans can turn things around with ample time needed to gel with her new teammates.

Meanwhile, the retooled Akari team made a winning debut in the import-laden tournament after breezing past the Capital1 Solar Spikers.

Now led by Ivy Lacsina, the Chargers now face their first acid test in Choco Mucho, the back-to-back silver medalists of the recent All-Filipino editions.

Expect import Oly Okaro and Lacsina to once again carry the offensive load for the Chargers, who also feature Ced Domingo and Grethcel Soltones as prime offensive weapons.

Is a revenge game from Santiago-Manabat inevitable to help the Flying Titans notch their first win, or will the Chargers keep going and make it back-to-back wins?

July 25, Thursday – Philsports Arena, Pasig

Game 1: Farm Fresh Foxies vs. PLDT High Speed Hitters – 1:00 p.m.

Game 2: Creamline Cool Smashers vs. Nxled Chameleons – 3:00 p.m.

Game 3: Galeries Tower Highrisers vs. Chery Tiggo Crossovers – 5:00 p.m.

All games are LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app

No Eya Laure and Jen Nierva, no problem so far for the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.

The Crossovers are on a dominating start this Reinforced Conference, winning their first two games in straight-set fashions against the Farm Fresh Foxies and the Nxled Chameleons.

After opening week, Chery Tiggo is tied with the PLDT High Speed Hitters atop Pool A with an identical 2-0 win-loss records.

Kath Bell remains an offensive force, averaging 22 points in her first two outings. Meanwhile, Ara Galang emerges as a solid second attacker behind Bell, even earning the Player of the Game Honors in their last outing against the Chameleons.

Galeries Tower, on the other hand, is off to a rough start this conference after opening with back-to-back losses, including a heartbreaking five-set defeat against Nxled.

Still without rookie playmaker Julia Coronel due to Alas Pilipinas commitments, the Highrisers are looking for their breakthrough win in their first taste of Reinforced action in franchise history.

Galeries Tower finished 10th in the season-opening All-Filipino Conference behind a 3-8 win-loss slate, a slightly better finish than its maiden run in the 2023 Second All-Filipino joust at 11th.

Behind their young hitters in France Ronquillo, Roma Joy Doromal and import Chuewulim Sutadta, the Highrisers are hungry to nail their first win to jumpstart their campaign and why not claim it against the pool-leading Crossovers?

July 27, Saturday – Philsports Arena, Pasig

Game 1: Cignal HD Spikers vs. Capital1 Solar Spikers- 1:00 p.m.

Game 2: Akari Chargers  vs. Petro Gazz Angels – 3:00 p.m.

Game 3: Zus Coffee Thunderbelles vs. Choco Mucho Flying Titans – 5:00 p.m.

All games are LIVE on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app

The HD Spikers got a flying start in PVL Reinforced Conference, scoring a straight-set disposal of the Choco Mucho Flying Titans.

To make things better, a returning player in a new position provided the much-needed awesomeness.

Judith Abil, who signed with Cignal in the offseason as a free agent, started at libero excelled big-time on the way to earning the Player of the Game honors.

The 27-year-old tallied 15 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions, starting in place of Dawn Macandili-Catindig who is fulfilling Alas Pilipinas duties.

Even Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos sees Abil flourishing in the new role moving forward, which would still require a lot of work as the tournament goes by.

“While ongoing ‘yung practice namin, ang ganda ng performance. Pero mas nakikita ko, grabe ‘yung floor defense niya saka ‘yung receive. Every tuneup namin gagamitin ko sa service hanggang parang sabi ko, ‘Malaki ng potential niya for libero,’ which is ‘yun din kailangan namin ma-improve,” delos Santos said.

Standing in Cignal’s way in the curtain raiser are the Capital1 Solar Spikers, who suffered straight-set defeat against the Akari Chargers.

Despite the loss, rookie Roma May Joy Doromal shined in her PVL debut with 13 excellent digs. Still, she also noted that there is much to learn for her and the young Solar Spikers squad.

Another awesome dub incoming for Cignal or a sunny-styled upset for Capital1?