PVL Open Day 1: Great wall of Kim Dy and Meneses; Molina, Daquis, Tolenada shine

The 2022 season of the Premier Volleyball League finally got underway on Wednesday, March 16 with a pair of high-caliber matches that jumpstarted the Open Conference at the Paco Arena in Manila.

The powerhouse F2 Logistics Cargo Movers scored a scintillating victory in their PVL debut, toppling Black Mamba-Army in four sets, 25-15, 25-18, 21-25, and 25-22.

It was Kim Kianna Dy who made her presence felt with a game-high 20 points which included 15 spikes and 4 blocks.

F2 Logistics made sure to take advantage of their height in the net defense area, as they tallied 10 blocks throughout the match.

Stars Ara Galang and Majoy Baron contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, while veteran leader Aby Marano had 3 blocks of her own, finishing with 9 points.

Aside from F2’s towers, it was the steady playmaking of Iris Tolenada, who finished with 27 excellent sets, the highest among Day 1 protagonists.

Army’s Honey Royse Tubino was a one-woman show, top-scoring for her crew with 18 points.

In the second meeting, the Cignal HD Spikers showed defending champions Chery Tiggo Crossovers that it would be a difficult path to a back-to-back, as they pulled off a 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-18 win.

Powered by the arrivals of Ces Molina and Ria Meneses, the revamped HD Spikers squad showed what they were capable of, tallying the opening day win in the short tournament.

Molina showed the way with her team-high 16 points, while three others finished in double-digit scoring for a balanced offensive load. She had 13 attacks and 2 service aces.

The ever-reliable Rachel Anne Daquis had 14 points, Angeli Araneta added 12, while Meneses had 11 markers which included a Day 1-high 6 blocks.

Cignal had 12 blocks overall, showing impressive net defense all-match long.

For the losing side, Dindin Santiago-Manabat led the Crossovers with 14 points while setter Jasmine Nabor had 26 excellent sets of her own.

Photos from Premier Volleyball League

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Levi Joshua Jr Verora

Levi Joshua Jr. Verora is a sportswriter, announcer, and commentator in the Philippines. He has covered national and international events like the FIBA Olympic and World Cup Qualifiers, AmeriCup, Asia Cup, and 3x3, Asian Volleyball Championship, ASEAN Basketball League, Southeast Asian Games, and AFF Championship. Nowadays, you'll hear his voice in the Philippines Football League and other local sports leagues.

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