The third professional season of the Premier Volleyball League showcased numerous tales encapsulated in three jam-packed conferences, surely leaving an indelible mark in the hearts of ever-loving Filipino volleyball fans.
From Kurashiki Ablaze’s historic triumph to Choco Mucho’s groundbreaking ascent and Cignal’s continued rise to the sudden disbandment of one of the most renowned forces in Philippine volleyball, F2 Logistics, the PVL’s 2023 season is undeniably one to remember.
Undisputed Queens of Philippine Volleyball
But while the rest of the field navigated through unpredictable currents, the Creamline Cool Smashers stood tall once again, serving as a beacon of consistency and dominance by winning two of the three conferences despite losing key stars in the latter part of their campaign.
Creamline went face to face with adversity to start the year, playing in the First All-Filipino Conference without their heart and soul, Alyssa Valdez, who eventually missed the entire tournament recovering from a knee injury.
The Cool Smashers, though, gave us a glimpse of what was about to come after they successfully defended their All-Filipino Conference crown, despite losing Game 1, taking down Petro Gazz in the best-of-three showdown.
Coming off a big win to start the year, the Rebisco-backed squad was poised to take a second consecutive crown in the Invitational Conference before losing to the guest squad from Japan in the winner-take-all final.
Overcoming Adversity
Then came the biggest challenge that the team had to hurdle this year.
Jia De Guzman and Ced Domingo, who both won Finals MVP awards in the Cool Smashers’ last two title campaigns, transferred to the Denso Airybees (V.League) and Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand League), respectively, which forced the team to play without two of their top stars in the season-ending Second All-Filipino Conference.
The 2023 season might just be the toughest one that the team went through in recent memory, but they surely passed it with flying colors.
Up against a stacked field sans two of their brightest stars, the Cool Smashers drew contributions from different individuals to fill the void which led to a 15-0 sweep, including a 2-0 triumph over Choco Mucho in the Finals, to end the year with a bang.
Creamline demonstrated unparalleled resilience and teamwork to maintain its spot at the apex of Philippine volleyball. This year proved to be a test to the Cool Smashers’ mettle, marking one of the team’s toughest trials in recent memory.
However, against all odds, they not only weathered the storm but managed to emerge victorious amidst adversities.
The Future is Bright
While Creamline continued to dominate the present, the 2023 PVL season also showed a glimpse of the league’s future with rising stars Eya Laure and Cess Robles of Chery Tiggo, Vanie Gandler of Cignal, Faith Nisperos of Akari, Jolina Dela Cruz and Mars Alba of F2 Logistics, and Trisha Tubu, Kate Santiago, and Louie Romero of Farm Fresh making their presence felt in their rookie season.
Laure showed that she’s primed to take on the lead role for a Crossovers side that has the likes of Mylene Paat, Jasmine Nabor, Shaya Adorador, and Pauline Gaston while Robles showed that she’s not afraid to embrace the bright lights of the country’s premier women’s volleyball league.
Gandler continued to emerge as a key piece in the HD Spikers’ championship aspirations while Faith Nisperos made it clear that she’s the centerpiece in Akari’s climb to PVL success.
Dela Cruz and Alba delivered spurts of brilliant performances with the Cargo Movers which were more than enough to get the attention of the league while the troika of Romero, Tubu, and Santiago seemed like they were ready to help take the Foxies to a new level in the upcoming season.
Present meets Future
This year, we witnessed not only the continuing legacy of an established powerhouse, who defied the odds just to keep what is rightfully theirs but also the promising ascent of the league’s rising stars.
The pages turn, and the future of Philippine volleyball unfolds, shaped by the enduring spirit of veterans and the vibrant energy of those set to carve their mark in the seasons to come.
