CIGNAL IN TROUBLE: Contract dispute looms as Molina, Meneses opt out

Decorated winger Ces Molina and middle blocker Riri Meneses parted ways with Cignal leaving the squad without two key players weeks before the resumption of the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.

The duo opted not to renew their contracts with the HD Spikers effectively ending three years of service with the club, their agency Avior Talent Management announced Thursday afternoon.

Their departure will be a major blow to the HD Spikers, who fashion a 4-1 win-loss record. After all, Molina, the Cignal team captain, averaged 12 points per game, 1.76 digs per set, and 18.87 percent reception while Meneses normed 7.4 points in their first five games.

“Ces Molina, Marivic Meneses, and Avior Talent Management extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Cignal HD Spikers management for the unwavering support and opportunities provided to Frances Xinia Molina and Marivic Meneses over the past three years,” the agency said in a statement.

“Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in shaping their careers and leaving a legacy of excellence. Thank you for being an incredible part of their journey.”

The development has left Cignal, which saw the departure of other veterans including Rachel Anne Daquis, Jovelyn Gonzaga and Jheck Dionela, with just 11 players available heading into its return to action against Galeries Tower on 21 January.

However, the HD Spikers responded with a possible legal action for “material breach” in their contracts.

The club said that the two players have “live contract extensions.”

“Avior Talent Management, who represents Ces Molina and Riri Meneses, has reached out to the team management earlier today (Thursday), following a formal letter sent last January 6, to end their live contract extension in order to pursue unspecified opportunities to play abroad,” the HD Spikers said in a statement obtained by DAILY TRIBUNE.

“We are in the process of consulting our legal team to determine all possible courses of action allowed following this material breach of both players’ contracts.”

The 2024 PVL Invitational Conference runner-up bared negotiations for deal renewal for the two players started in October 2024.

“Team management has begun renewal discussions via formal offer as early as October 2024, but sadly, both players have not responded to any communications and have stopped attending training upon its resumption earlier this week,” the HD Spikers added.

Molina and Meneses joined Cignal in 2022 after one season with Petro Gazz. Both were instrumental in reshaping the HD Spikers into a legitimate title contender in the country’s first and only professional women’s volleyball league.

They helped Cignal win two silver and five bronze medals in eight conferences.

Molina bagged the 2023 Invitational Conference Most Valuable Player and two Best Outside Spiker awards while Meneses received a couple of Best Middle Blocker recognitions wearing the HD Spikers uniform.

If their pursuit to play abroad breaks down and plan to return to the PVL, both Molina and Meneses will have to sit out the rest of the AFC as teams are prohibited from fielding players listed in the official lineup of their previous clubs in an ongoing tournament as per league rules.

“We encourage teams that if they have players with expiring contracts, it’s best to release them or not have them lined up because under our rules you can add players, for this conference only, until 17 January but you cannot remove or change,” PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo said before the start of the season last November.