Games today:

(Philsports Arena)

10 a.m. — Taipower vs Hip Hing

1 p.m. — Baic Motor vs Saipa Tehran

4 p.m. — Creamline vs Al Naser

7 p.m. — PLDT vs Queensland

Still reeling from its championship heartbreak, Creamline will be parading a tried and tested import and a pair of two other reinforcements as it braces for a tough grind in the week-long 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Boasting of a reinforced roster beefed up not only by Erica Staunton but by Russian Anastassiya Kolomeyts and Kazakh Anastasya Kudryashova, the Cool Smashers tangle with Jordan’s Al Naser Club at 4 p.m. in Pool A.

Staunton is best remembered for her vital contributions to Creamline’s conquest of the Reinforced Conference, a win that enabled the squad to complete a historic Grand Slam.

“We’re coming off a tough five-month season, but the team has had time to recover,” head coach Sherwin Meneses said.

“These are competitive athletes. They’ve gone home, rested, and now it’s time to shift our focus. I think Creamline will be competitive, as always.”

Creamline lost to Petro Gazz recently in the finals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino.

Al Naser, meanwhile, boasts a fearsome trio of Brazilian wing spikers — Isabela Paquiardi, Pully Klein and Natiele Goncalves — who are expected to challenge the Cool Smashers with their offensive firepower.

Later in the evening, PLDT makes its international debut in Pool D against Australia’s Queensland Pirates at 7 p.m. The High Speed Hitters will be fronted by Cuban reinforcement Wilma Salas, along with Filipino-Canadian Savannah Davison.

Queensland’s roster features top talent from Down Under, including Australian Volleyball Super League All-Star Kylee White, national team mainstay Emma Burton, and rising star Scarlett Rudder.

“It’s an honor for PLDT to represent the country on this stage,” head coach Rald Ricafort said.

“The team is excited to compete and show what we’ve got against some of the best in Asia.”

Earlier in the day, Kaohsiung Taipower of Chinese Taipei will clash with Hong Kong’s Hip Hing in a Pool B curtain-raiser at 10 a.m., followed by a Pool C showdown between China’s Baic Motor and Iran’s Saipa Tehran at 1 p.m.

Twelve teams are divided into four pools of three, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. Cross-pool knockout matches will determine semifinal berths: A1 vs D2, A2 vs D1, B1 vs C2 and B2 vs C1.