Organizers of the Premier Volleyball League have likewise shortened its forthcoming Open Conference to give way to the country’s participation in the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August.
Sports Vision President Ricky Palou yesterday said they do not want to disrupt the preparations of the PH team in the biennial meet despite only one player from the league will be taking part in the Kuala Lumpur Games.
Alyssa Valdez of Creamline is the sole national women’s team member coming from the league – the rest will come mostly from the Philippine Superliga.
The Open Conference, according to Palou, will employ a single-round robin format among eight teams in the men’s and women’s divisions.
The top four squads, he said, will advance to the crossover best-of-three semifinals, with the top two semifinal winners battling it out in the best-of-three finals.
Meanwhile, playing for the women’s division are Creamline, Xentro Mall Perlas Spikers, Adamson, Hair Fairy Air Force, BaliPure, Power Smashers, Hapee Toothpaste, and defending champion Pocari Sweat.
The men’s pool is composed of reigning titlist Air Force, Megabuilders, Gamboa Coffee, Army, Sta. Elena, CaféLupe, Instituto Estetico Manila, and Cignal.