Tag: action

Novel format spices up Reinforced PVL action

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Erica Staunton is Creamline Cool Smashers’ import for the PVL Reinforced Conference. –CREAMLINE PHOTO

A two-stage elimination round will be something new when the Reinforced Conference of the Premier Volleyball League gets off the ground on July 16, although the battle for the championship will be just for a single game which assures that no team will run under full speed the entire time.

The 12-team field will be divided into two groups in the first phase of classification, with the top teams from Pools A and B going on to clash with the bottom three teams from the opposite groups to form Pools C and D.

Following the preliminaries, teams will be ranked using the FIVB Classification System. The top eight squads will move on to the knockout quarterfinals. Winners will advance to the semifinals, which will also be decided in a do-or-die match. The top two teams from the semis will compete in a winner-take-all gold medal match, while the losers will battle for bronze.

Creamline headlines Pool A, which will also have Chery Tiggo, Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower, Nxled and PLDT, while defending champion Petro Gazz will be in the other pool together with Akari, Capital1, Cignal, Choco Mucho and Zus Coffee.

Opening day promises intense matchups, starting with the Highrisers, bannered by Brazilian reinforcement Monique Helena, facing the Nxled squad, which has yet to reveal its import, at 2 p.m. at PhilSports Arena.

Nxled is hoping to make the best out of picking fifth overall in the coming Draft after losing several standouts, including Ivy Lacsina and Dindin Santiago-Manabat in a swap with sister team Akari recently.

Lacsina was part of the package that also sent Cams Victoria, libero skipper Dani Ravena and main setter Kamille Cal to Akari. Manabat opted out of being included in that deal and terminated her contract with the Chargers to find her way into Choco Mucho.

At 4 p.m., American spiker Katherine Bell and the Crossovers will challenge Asaka Tamaru and the Foxies. The main event at 6 p.m. will see the Cool Smashers, led by Erica Staunton from the USA, against returning Russian hitter Lena Samoilenko and the PLDT High Speed Hitters. —Angel B. Dukha III



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Esteban sees action in Paris with milestone for PH

On: By: admin


Maxine Esteban—CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Already having the support of two nations, Maxine Esteban just got validation that she has what it takes to win in the Paris Olympics.

Climbing to a world ranking of 27th the FIE (International Fencing Federation) for the year, Esteban just became the highest ranked Philippine-born fencer as she sees action for Ivory Coast in the glitzy fashion capital later this month.

“I want to thank all my Filipino and Ivorian supporters. Thank you for your prayers and love. You are the reason I continue to strive for excellence,” Esteban said. “Lastly, I thank God for this amazing season, thank you for your protection and guidance—and for the overwhelming abundance of blessings.”

Esteban is one of the 30 direct qualifiers for the women’s foil event—automatic berths granted to athletes based on their world ranking.

The final pairings for the women’s foil event, which will be a direct elimination format, will be known after the four lowest ranked fencers battle for the last two slots in the round of 32.

The top 16 in the rankings will battle the lower 16 in crossover fashion, and fencers will need at least three wins for a shot at the podium.

Esteban is currently in Germany with her coach, Andrea Magro, who tutored several gold-winning Olympians before.

“I am happy and excited that my world ranking has again risen,” she said. “After such a hectic season of 18 Olympic qualifiers which culminated in my direct qualification for Paris Olympics, this is indeed one of the biggest rewards for all my hard work.”



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