Japan, Vietnam stir up PVL play

MANILA, Philippines — Top club teams from Japan and Vietnam spice up the competition in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference, stirring up play as seeded teams in the semifinal round that begins July 20 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

The Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan and the Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh of Vietnam are forces to reckon with.

The Japanese side topped the 12th national volleyball league as well as the 13th national six-man meet and finished third in the 13th national league grand champion match back home and should pose a big challenge to the Creamline Cool Smashers’ title defense.

The Vietnamese should also contend as they ruled the 2018 national championships and took bronze in the next two years in Vietnam.

The foreign clubs will play straight in the semifinals where they will be joined by the top two teams from each bracket and play in a single-round robin format where the top two face off in a one-game finale.

The league has given way to the ongoing Volleyball Nations League at the MOA Arena and will resume Tuesday with a heavy four-game bill highlighted by the intriguing showdown between Group B leaders Choco Mucho and F2 Logistics at 6:30 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena.

Petro Gazz takes on Farm Fresh at 9:30 a.m., Cignal tackles Foton at 12 p.m. and Akari tangles with Chery Tiggo at 4 p.m.