Filipino volleyball fans were treated with high-quality and intense action after the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference continued on Thursday despite initial setbacks reported earlier this week.
The Petro Gazz Angels defeated the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-21, 25-17, 25-14, during the first game of the day, with American import Lindsey Vander Weide helping the Angels beat the Highrisers that featured Montenegrin reinforcement Jelena Cvijovic.
Meanwhile, Farm Fresh Foxies met their sister team Nxled Chameleons early in the tournament and won in four sets, 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21.
Belgian reinforcement Eli Rousseaux led the scoring for the Foxies, scoring 38 points on her debut game.
Meanwhile, Spanish player Paola Martinez Vela’s 15-point scoring output was not enough to help the Chameleons secure their first win.
ITC issue
The PVL Reinforced Conference is one of the most highly anticipated volleyball tournaments in the Philippines due to the presence of foreign guest players, making the event even more competitive.
The 2025 edition of the tournament officially kicked off on Tuesday, but fans were left disappointed after the reinforcements of Zus Coffee Thunderbelles, Akari Chargers, Capital1 Solar Spikers, and Choco Mucho Flying Titans were barred from playing due to issues with their respective International Transfer Certificates (ITCs).
PVL organiser Sports Vision released an official statement regarding the ITC issue, claiming that the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) failed to endorse the papers of the foreign players ahead of the opening-day matches.
“The PVL regrets to inform the public that the foreign guest players will not be permitted to participate in the ongoing season-ending conference until their ITCs are duly approved,” Tuesday’s statement read.
The organiser also criticised the PNVF for delaying the approval of the ITCs despite the timely submission of all documents needed for the tournament.
According to sources close to the matter, the conflict was triggered by PNVF’s request to adjust the schedule of the PVL Reinforced Conference to give way for the preparations of Alas Pilipinas Women players for the upcoming Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Foreign stars Annie Michem (Akari), Oleksandra Bytsenko (Capital1), Anna DeBeer (Zus), and Anyse Smith (Choco Mucho) were all forced to sit out their respective matches to avoid possible sanctions from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
Under FIVB rules, the players also needed to secure their respective ITCs to avoid facing any issues with their international eligibility.
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Guest stars cleared to play
The PNVF on Wednesday immediately responded to Sports Vision’s request to endorse the ITCs, allowing all 12 foreign guest players to play in the tournament.
The Thunderbelles defeated the Chargers in five-gruelling sets on Tuesday, 24-26, 25-23, 17-25, 26-24, 15-7, despite both teams missing the services of Anna DeBeer and Annie Michem.
The Flying Titans also triumphed against the Solar Spikers in three sets, 33-31, 26-24, 25-23, during the second game on Tuesday.
Even though Anyse Smith and Oleksandra Bytsenko failed to contribute in the opening campaign of their respective teams, fans were still delighted to see the debut of 2025 PVL Rookie Draft top pick Mhicaela “Bella” Belen for Capital1.
Despite losing in their opening match, Belen scored 20 points, tallied 18 digs, and recorded 12 excellent receptions during her debut game.
Meanwhile, Sports Vision announced that all of the opening games last Tuesday would be replayed at a later date to allow all four affected clubs to utilise their foreign reinforcements.
“This decision follows prior agreement among the participating teams, in the spirit of fairness, competitive parity, and delivering the best possible experience to our supporters,” PVL said in another statement.
More reinforcements coming
With the ITC issue out of the way, Filipino volleyball fans can now anticipate more intense volleyball action in the following weeks.
The PLDT High Speed Hitters will be relying on Russian hitter Anastasia Bavykina in their fight for a third championship after winning the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference titles earlier this year.
Reigning PVL Reinforced Conference champions Creamline Cool Smashers secured the services of American Courtney Schwan in their attempt to defend their crown.
The Cignal Super Spikers will be parading Greek standout Eva Chantava for their campaign, while the Chery Tiggo EV Crossovers will be highlighting the skills of Cuban powerhouse Yunieska Batista.
The Reinforced Conference will run until November 27 and will be the last women’s tournament for the 2024–2025 volleyball season in the Philippines.
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Geoffrey H. Latayan 
Vivien Bernardino