Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the best libero of them all?
Come the 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference and beyond, the who’s who in Philippine volleyball will be under one league.
And this includes the liberos.
Excited are five-time PSL Best Libero and 2016 All-Filipino Conference MVP Dawn Macandili and one-time V-League Best Libero, two-time Best Digger, and two-time Best Receiver Denden Lazaro about facing and watching the best players in the country on almost a daily basis come the PVL’s ‘Calambubble’ tournament which is slated to be on May.
Of course, on top of their list are the defending Open Conference champions Creamline Cool Smashers.
“I haven’t played against Alyssa in a long time and Jia as well my former teammates in Ateneo. They are the reigning champions in the PVL, so of course, everybody would want to meet the champions,” said Lazaro, who is part of Choco Mucho, during Monday’s episode of The Game.
“Same with ate Den, siyempre, you want to battle with the best,” added F2 Logistics’ Dawn Macandili.
Also in the league are the country’s best liberos.
There’s Petro Gazz’s Kath Arado, Cignal’s Jheck Dionela, Army’s Tin Agno, PLDT’s Alyssa Eroa, Creamline’s Kyla Atienza and Ella De Jesus, UAC’s Buding Duremdes, Perlas’ Thang Ponce, and Sta. Lucia’s Bang Pineda, just to name a few.
Free agents like Melissa Gohing and Jen Reyes can also sign with any of the 11 pro teams as well to make the field much tighter. Cienne Cruz, who is in the States right now, can come back any time as well.
“I’m very excited to go up against. There are new teams, there are players na lumipat sa ibang teams. So we really can’t tell who’s gonna play their best this coming PVL,” said Macandili.
Besides the other teams, of course, Lazaro and Macandili also rekindle their rivalry.
Back in 2019, the two were part of the legendary Petron-F2 Logistics duels that saw Lazaro and the Blaze Spikers take down the Grand Prix while Macandili and the Cargo Movers get payback during the All-Filipino.
Now, they face each other in the biggest stage in Philippine volleyball.
“I look up to her because she’s a fierce competitor and a really hard worker and all-around great athlete,” Lazaro remarked about Macandili.
“I’m very excited to play against ate Den. Since my college days, she’s one of my role models, she’s my senior libero. I really look up to her,” expressed Macandili, who is five years younger than Lazaro.
“Talagang inside the court, we’re opponents, we’re rivals. Outside the court, we’re friends. It’s nice to be against each other again.”
