Wide-open race looms in Superliga’s All-Filipino Conference

MANILA, Philippines – It’s going to be a heated and wide-open derby when the Philippine Superliga (PSL) opens its All-Filipino Conference this Saturday, June 18, at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan.

With three-time champion RC Cola-Army eager to clinch another title, expect all seven teams to come up with a very good fight in this top-level women’s inter-club volleyball tournament that will be aired live over TV5 and Aksyon TV.

The Lady Troopers didn’t shake their lineup, but they remain a strong force to be reckoned with due to the fluid chemistry developed by battle-scarred veterans in Rachel Anne Daquis, Honey Royse Tubino, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nerissa Bautista, Michelle Carolino and Tina Salak.

RC Cola-Army, in fact, was so dominant that it reigned supreme in the PSL Invitational Conference over a solid Est Cola club, a young squad composed of Thailand’s National Team B earlier this year.

Few weeks later, RC Cola-Army A of Gonzaga and Bautista outfought Cherry Rondina and Patty Jane Orendain of Foton to rule the PSL Challenge Cup beach volleyball tournament.

But the Lady Troopers will no longer be alone at the top.

F2 Logistics, Petron, Cignal and Foton all vowed to knock the crowd off the Lady Troopers’ heads while Generika, Standard Insurance-Navy and Amy’s Kitchen-Perpetual are also capable of pulling off a stunning upset.

The Cargo Movers are tipped to be heavy contenders after hiring the nucleus of the La Salle team crushed mighty Ateneo de Manila in the recent UAAP finals showdown. They also drafted Ara Galang as top overall pick in the PSL Annual Rookie Draft and retained the services of Aby Marano, Cha Cruz, Paneng Mercado and Danika Gendrauli.

“F2 Logistics may be young, but already overflowing with experience,” said Generika coach Francis Vicente. “The core of La Salle will be a serious threat not only because they won the UAAP crown over Ateneo, but because they already gained significant experience in the (PSL) Grand Prix as members of Meralco last year.”

Not to be outdone, Petron and Cignal are also capable up putting up a fight.

The Tri-Activ Spikers lost Marano and Daquis to other teams while Dindin Manabat and Fille Cayetano sat out due to pregnancy, but they remain heavy favorites after acquiring veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Bang Pineda and Cherry Nunag as well as drafting former NCAA Best Attacker CJ Rosario as second overall to join the already formidable cast of Ces Molina, Maica Morada, Mina Aganon and Jen Reyes.

Cignal, for its part, will parade the solid core Djanel Cheng, Jeanette Panaga and Janine Navarro of reigning NCAA champion College of Saint Benilde as well as Cherry Mae Vivas, April Ross Hingpit, Jheck Dionela and rookie Mary Grace Berte of Davao.

Still, the heaviest among heavy contenders will be Foton.

After winning the Grand Prix in an impressive fashion, Foton re-loaded its roster with the addition of veterans Maika Ortiz and Rhea Dimaculangan early this year and UST stars EJ Laure and Rondina together, Arellano aces Shirley Salamagos and Danna Henson and La Salle spiker Carol Cerveza in the off-season.

Jaja Santiago, Angeli Araneta, Bia General and PSL Grand Prix 2ndBest Setter Ivy Peres will also be back to form what is billed as the league’s most balanced roster.

“This is a very balanced league and there’s no clear-cut favorite – not even RC Cola-Army,” said Cignal mentor Sammy Acaylar. “Everybody did their homework in the off-season in building a championship-caliber team.”

Generika, Standard Insurance-Navy and Amy’s Kitchen-Perpetual should also not be taken out of the championship equation as they have the materials to squeeze in with the heavyweights.

The Life Savers will be marking its return with a solid roster of seasoned playmaker Rubie de Leon spearheading the young core of Ria Meneses, Alex Cabanos and Shaya Adorador while the Corvettes will parade veterans Pau Soriano, Norie Jane Diaz and Lilet Mabbayad.

Amy’s Kitchen-Perpetual, meanwhile, has the core of Lady Altas stars Lourdes Clemente, Coleen Bravo and Cindy Imbo to bank on.