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| The PetroGazz Angels are all smiles after winning the 2019 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference championship from its previous champions, Creamline Cool Smashers. (Image Source: ABS-CBN Sports/Josh Albelda) |
The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) kicked off its 2019 season with its
import-laden Reinforced Conference and eventually wrapped up like it can only
do - delivering elite Philippine volleyball action that is talked all over the
country and heard around the world as it was aired live on ABS-CBN S+A, LIGA on
Skycable, iWant, and The Filipino Channel (TFC).
As expected, PVL-related topics were trending on Twitter on the thrilling
epic finale of the league's first conference with #PVL2019 capturing the top
spot among the top trending in the Philippines followed by
#PVLReinforcedConference2019 while ten others have occupied most of the top 20
trending slots nationwide. On the other hand, the league's official hashtag
#PVL2019 was ranked fourth among the top trending topics worldwide. Among these
most talked about topics was the impressive performance of PetroGazz Angels and
Creamline Cool Smashers in Game 3 of the Reinforced Conference Finals held last
July 14, 2019.
PetroGazz eventually won the do-or-die showdown in four sets (25-15, 28-30,
25-23, 25-19) and dethroned the previous title holders Creamline for their first
championship in the PVL. Filipino netizens were also impressed with the imports
notably the Cool Smashers' relentless Kuttika Kaewpin and the Angels' power duo
of PVL Reinforced Conference Best Foreign Guest Player Wilma Salas and Finals
MVP Janisa Johnson. Kaewpin picked up 17 attacks and 11 digs for an all-around
game while Salas and Johnson were simply unstoppable with a combined 53 points while
anchoring their team's defense. Of course, local players are not ones to be
left out as they are included among the top trending topics and leading them is
no less than the now three-time PVL Reinforced Conference MVP Alyssa Valdez
stuffing the stat sheet with 18 attacks, 3 blocks and an ace as well as her
teammate Risa Sato who was equally effective at the net and from the service
line during the match to contribute ten points.
Thousands have watched the epic finale of the PVL Reinforced Conference
from their homes and through their gadgets, but let's just say that we should
also be impressed at the people who have come in to watch the showdown live.
More than 6,000 people braved the rains, trooped to and packed the Ynares Sports
Center in Antipolo City just to witness the do-or-die clashes featuring PetroGazz,
Creamline, BanKo Perlas Lady Spikers, and PacificTown Army Lady Troopers. Heck,
they have even filled the venue with energy all throughout the day trading
cheers and dancing to the tunes of the DJ during breaks. Now that's what you
call dedication and this is what makes PVL different from others since its
inception in 2017.
With a triumphant first conference already in the books, the PVL is
gearing up for its second tournament this season which will begin on August, the
PVL Open Conference. This time, the Open Conference will feature a new team, the ChocoMucho Flying Titans,
bannered by fan favorites Bea De Leon, Maddie Madayag and Kat Tolentino from
the UAAP Season 81 women's volleyball champions, the Ateneo Lady Eagles. This
will make volleyball fans and aficionados fill up the venues once again with
their best support system yet. At the same time, it will also make PVL trend
and would eventually make the top trending on Twitter list yet again.
