PLDT and Creamline are gearing up for their toughest tests yet as they head into must-win quarterfinal matchups in the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions Cup on Thursday, April 24, at the Philsports Arena.

After both teams finished second in their respective pools, the Filipino clubs now face elite competition with semifinal berths and a shot at the FIVB World Club Championship on the line.

The quarterfinals begin at 4 p.m. with the High Speed Hitters, runners-up in Pool D, squaring off against Kazakhstan powerhouse Zhetysu VC – the Pool A top seed. Later at 7 p.m., the Cool Smashers, second in Pool A, go head-to-head with Pool D winners and Thai champions Nakhon Ratchasima QminC.

Despite suffering a five-set loss to the Thais earlier in the week, PLDT showed grit by forcing a decider after being down two sets. That display of resilience will be tested once again against a tall and disciplined Zhetysu side that previously swept Creamline.

“Same nung bago mag-Thailand. Alam naman namin high level, malakas and all. Pero bilog pa rin naman bola,” said PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort, noting that their comeback attempt gave the squad a morale boost despite the loss.

PLDT will once again rely on Fil-Canadian star Savannah Davison – currently the tournament’s third-best scorer – along with Cuban import Wilma Salas and Kianna Dy to break down the Kazakh defense led by Karyna Denysova, Valeriya Yakutina, and Tatyana Nikitina.

Meanwhile, Creamline faces an even steeper challenge against an undefeated Nakhon Ratchasima team that swept Pool D and overcame a scare against Petro Gazz. With imports Erica Staunton, Anastassiya Kolomoyets, and Anastasiya Kudryashova in tow, Creamline is banking on its mix of international talent and local mainstays Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Jeanette Panaga, Mich Gumabao, Lorie Bernardo, and setter Kyle Negrito.

“It’s really up to the players to handle defeat. These aren’t kids anymore – they know they have to move on quickly,” said head coach Sherwin Meneses. “In sports, that’s just how it is. What matters most is how you bounce back.”

Nakhon Ratchasima enters the knockout stage with top-tier players like American import Anyse Smith, Greek ace Eva Chantava, and Thai legend Onuma Sittirak, posing a multifaceted threat that Creamline must contain.

Despite the odds, both PLDT and Creamline remain in the hunt for one of two coveted spots in the FIVB World Club Championship in Thailand this August.

Petro Gazz, the third Filipino club in the tournament, will face Beijing Baic Motor in their own quarterfinal showdown on Friday.

Organized by Sports Vision and backed by partners including Mikasa, Mizuno, Grand Sport, PLDT, MWell, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, and Cignal, the eight-day tournament promises high-stakes action as the best of Asia battle for regional supremacy.