PVL imports finally debut as Petro Gazz, Farm Fresh win opening slate

MANILA, Philippines, October 10 ------ After a unique and controversial start, the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference finally got going for real as mighty Petro Gazz and retooling Farm Fresh each emerged victorious in the new opening double-header at the City of Dasmariñas Arena in Cavite. The Angels, again heavy title favorites after copping their first All-Filipino crown, took care of business against upstart Galeries Tower off a dominant, 25-21, 25-17, 25-14 sweep, while the Foxies took care of fellow young riser Nxled in a four-set decision, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21.

Belgian reinforcement Eli Rousseaux stole the show for Farm Fresh, bombing down 38 points on 31 attacks, 4 aces, and 3 blocks, plus 15 excellent receptions and 8 digs, to outgun Spanish counterpart Paola Martinez Vela’s modest 15-point output in the Chameleons’ loss. Young star opposite Trisha Tubu backstopped Rousseaux with 10 points, while another Foxies debutant and former PVL MVP Ces Molina chipped in 9 points.

Veteran setter Alohi Robins-Hardy rounded out the winning attack with 27 excellent sets as Chiara Permentilla topscored the losing side with 18 points. Meanwhile, Djanel Cheng steered the vaunted Petro Gazz offense in the conference curtain-raiser with 14 excellent sets, helping reigning All-Filipino MVP Brooke Van Sickle and returning American import Lindsey Vander Weide with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Fil-Am champion MJ Phillips also scored 12.

Montenegrin reinforcement Jelena Cvijovic, known mostly as a defensive specialist in her last foray with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, paced the sorry loss with 9 points as Galeries Tower reshuffled its rotation following the loss of rising star Jewel Encarnacion to the rebranded Cignal Super Spikers. The double-header, complete with imports, comes on the heels of the PVL’s surprise decision to nullify and reschedule the previous two all-Filipino games involving ZUS Coffee, Akari, Choco Mucho, and Capital1 last Tuesday, October 7, at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rodriguez, Rizal.

The league moved forward with its originally scheduled double-header slate on Thursday in Cavite after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation released the 12 league imports’ International Transfer Certificates, but only after a public tongue-lashing from PVL officials.

Source: rappler.com