Huge Cebu crowd awaits Superliga matches

Games today (USC gym, Cebu City)

4 p.m. – Systema vs Cignal (men’s)

6 p.m. – AirAsia vs Petron (women’s)

CEBU, Philippines - – A sold-out crowd awaits the 2014 PLDT Home-Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference volleyball tournament when it plays its first out-of-town game here with the crowd darlings of the league – Petron and AirAsia – intensifying their bids for an outright women’s division semifinals berth.

Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara, president of the PSL and the organizing SportsCore, announced that the league is already considering to bring another set of matches back here at the University of San Carlos gym after tickets have quickly ran out just hours after they were made available to fans.

“We all know how Cebuanos love sports, but we did not expect this kind of reception from PSL fans. We are now considering another play date and possibly more out of two games in the future,” said Suzara, a Cebuano and a former national youth player.

Action starts at 6 p.m. following the 4 pm men’s division clash between Cignal HD and Systema in 4 p.m. game of this premiere inter-club tournament backed by its official airline, AirAsia, in partnership with Gilligan’s Restaurant, Healthway Medical, PLDT Home DSL, Cignal, Solar Sports, Mikasa, Asics, Mueller, LGR, Petron, Bench and Generika.

After losing to the star-studded cast of PLDT-Air Force in straight sets last Wednesday, 18-25, 22-25, 20-25, the Power Attackers are expected to bounce back, especially with four Cebuanos in Mike Abria, Emmanuel Luces, Kenboy Abunda and Joel Villonson making a grand homecoming as part of the league’s first-ever pair of out-of-town games dubbed as “Spike on Tour! - the Out Of Town Series.”

The Power Attackers will be facing a hungry Systema side, which is bannered by popular actor-sportsman Richard Gomez.

But the main event is the much-anticipated clash between Petron and AirAsia.

Still licking the wounds of a bitter loss to Generika Army, 23-25, 23-25, 19-25, the Blaze Spikers are tipped to go all out against the Flying Spikers in a bid to claim their fourth victory in five outings and improve their chances of sealing one of the two outright semifinal berths entering the crucial stretch of the eliminations.

Petron’s star rookie Dindin Santiago was hardly a factor against the more experienced Lady Troopers as she huffed and puffed all game long before finishing with a dismal 17 points  – a production which was way below her average of more than 30 points in their first three wins.

“We have to find a way to get Dindin back in the groove if we want to remain on top,” said Petron coach George Pascua, who also failed to draw significant numbers from his support crew led by Sandra Delos Santos, Mary Grace Masangkay and commercial model Gretchen Ho.

Petron’s bid, however, is to be challenged by the Flying Spikers, who will welcome the return of former University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Most Valuable Player Michelle Gumabao.

Gumabao missed nearly two months of action after deciding to focus on her budding career in show business. And now that she’s back, AirAsia coach Ramil de Jesus is planning to break her gently into the rotation until she regains the form that made her a household name.

“I plan to use her sparingly just to give her a feel of big-time competition again,” said de Jesus, whose wards are looking to join Generika Army and RC Cola-Air Force in a three-way logjam at the top spot with a 4-2 win-loss card.

“Stopping Dindin Santiago is just half of the job. Petron is such a strong team. We also have to stop her teammates from contributing. We have tighten up our defense and stick to our game plan of attacking relentlessly.”

Before the game, Southwestern University (SWU) and University of Cebu (UC) dancers will render dance numbers by the  SWU Athletic Director Ryan Aznar and University of Cebu Athletic Director Bernardino Ricablanca through the efforts of Mrs. Dolly Suzara of Sinulog Foundation.

Councilor Richie Osmena, Chair of Youth and Sports Committee of Cebu City and Mayor Rama were also invited for short inspirational speeches while Cebu City Sports Commission Edward Hayco will welcome the teams together with USC Fr. Adriano Ocariza, SVD.