Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

1:30 p.m. — Farm Fresh vs Nxled

4 p.m. — Est Cola vs Ho Chi Minh City

6:30 p.m. — PLDT vs Creamline

It’s a battle royale Sunday for teams still in contention for the two finals seats up for grabs in the last day of the 2026-2027 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference preliminary round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Four squads have a shot at advancing to the winner-take-all championship in an exciting triple-header playdate, filled with scenarios after each pairing concludes.

Creamline and Thailand’s Est Cola have clearer paths to the title match on Tuesday, needing only to win over their respective final assignments.

The 11-time PVL champion takes on back-to-back-seeking PLDT in the main game at 6:30 p.m.

Creamline is tied with the streaking Thais on top of the standings with a 3-1 win-loss record but is coming off a 25-17, 21-25, 22-25, 25-27, loss to Est Cola on Friday that snapped its three-game winning streak.

Prized Cool Smashers middle blocker Jaja Santiago-Minowa embraces the pressure of the must-win match.

“I think it’s more on getting one point at a time, one set at a time. Everyone is really preparing. Everyone wants to win. It’s just I think how you will overcome the pressure, how you will stand out and play harder, and the willingness to get that win,” the 6-foot-5 Minowa said.

“Everyone is tired already. The team with the biggest heart will pull through in the end.”

Creamline needs to win in straight or four sets to avoid complications of a tiebreaker in a tie at 3-2. A loss could pull down the Cool Smasher into the battle for third.

The High Speed Hitters, carrying a 2-2 mark in a two-way logjam with Nxled, also must win in straight or four sets to boost their chances of making it to the finals.

But PLDT’s fate is already out of its hands, as a win won’t guarantee an outright championship berth unless paired with a Chameleons loss to Farm Fresh in the curtain-raiser at 1:30 p.m.

“I mean, it’s whoever comes wanting it more. It’s really up in the air. I feel like anybody could win that game. So, it’s, you know, whoever wants it more,” High Speed Hitters star Savi Davison said.

Davison fired 32 points, 14 excellent receptions and 10 digs in PLDT’s 25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, rebound win over Farm Fresh last Friday.

Meanwhile, Est Cola is on a tear after an opening day defeat to the High Speed Hitters, winning three in a row, including a morale-boosting upset over Creamline.

The Thais try to barge into the finale in a showdown against Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, which is looking to serve as a spoiler after bowing out of the championship race, at 4 p.m.

Est Cola is also in the same position as Creamline.

A win secures the Thais a finals seat while a defeat could send them down to the consolation match.

With a 1-3 slate tied with the Foxies, the Vietnamese squad seeks to gather confidence and a possible shot at salvaging a battle for third spot.

The same goes for Farm Fresh as it tries to spoil Nxled’s attempt to snatch a finals seat.

The Chameleons beat Ho Chi Minh City, 25-20, 31-33, 25-17, 25-22, to stay alive in the championship race.