LAOAG, ILOCOS NORTE – The competition just got tougher for Premier Volleyball League teams as F2 Logistics, who decided to skip the inaugural Open Conference, is set to make its debut in the league’s second conference.
The Cargo Movers made the tough decision to skip the conference, pulling out at the last minute due to numerous injuries and the constant breaking of their training bubble in Batangas.
“F2 Logistics is going to come in,” confirmed PVL President Ricky Palou in an interview with reporters inside the Ilocos Norte bubble on Saturday.
“Ang sinabi nila they won’t join this first conference kasi a lot of their players are injured, they’re not in shape and all that. But sinabi sa akin ni Efren Uy yung owner na kung may second conference they will join so we’ll have at least one additional team.”
This means that F2 Logistics, composed of some of the Philippines’ brightest volleyball talents in the likes of Ara Galang, Kim Fajardo, Kianna Dy, Dawn Macandili, Aby Marano, Major Baron, and Kalei Mau, will be joining inaugural champion Chery Tiggo, finalist Creamline, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, Sta. Lucia, Army, BaliPure, PLDT, Perlas, and Cignal, to form an 11-team field in the upcoming conference slated either in October or November.
Palou admitted that he was a bit surprised by the level of play that the teams showed despite being out of competition for almost a year and a half.
“Actually, surprised ako. Well, when we came here I was confident na the teams should be in shape kasi halos lahat sa kanila nag bubble training e. May nag Baguio, meron sa Clark, Pampanga, meron sa Batangas, lahat sila nag bubble so when they came here ready na sila ang naging problema lang talaga nila is one year and a half walang competition puro sila sila lang ‘di ba? But as you can see sa mga games maganda naman yung level of play ‘di ba,” shared Palou.
“Ang gagaling nga ng mga ibang teams e, lalong gumaling I’m so surprised of the performance of Chery Tiggo dahil nung umpisa nagulat ako sa Chery Tiggo ‘di ba? Natalo sa BaliPure but eventually they got used to playing in actual competition, nagkaroon ng kumpyansa, umabot sila sa finals, nag champion pa so we’re glad that the teams managed to stay in shape and compete very well against each other ‘di ba so okay tayo doon.”
With the addition of a high-caliber squad like the Cargo Movers, Palou believes that this will only bring the league’s competitiveness to a much higher level.
“So, that should make the league more interesting.”
