VOLLEY

PVL squads start shuffling rosters

Jason Mago

The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is no stranger to wheeling and dealing, but a recent wave of roster changes involving PLDT, Cignal, and Galeries Tower has drawn attention, setting the tone for an eventful offseason.

The High Speed Hitters are reeling from significant losses with veteran outside hitter Fiola Ceballos leaving after a three-year stint following Erika Santos’ decision to see action elsewhere.

With both Ceballos and Santos gone, PLDT has lost two of its top three attackers, placing a heavier offensive burden on Filipino-Canadian standout Savi Davison.

“One thing we were able to count on over the years was the stable passing you delivered whenever you were on the court. That is a comfort we will miss,” the club wrote in its farewell message to Ceballos on Tuesday.

“Thank you for being a PLDT High Speed Hitter, Fiola! May you grow even more where you are planted next.”

Meanwhile, the Highrisers have also been active in reshaping their roster with three more players parting ways following the earlier exit of team captain Alyssa Eroa.

New recruit Jho Maraguinot, along with longtime mainstays Roma Joy Doromal and Renee Mabilangan, are the latest to be released.

Maraguinot’s departure comes as a surprise, given she saw limited playing time — debuting only in the team’s third match of the last conference — after transferring from Nxled. The exits of Doromal and Mabilangan, however, signal a shift in the team’s veteran leadership core.

Following recent changes, Galeries Tower is temporarily down to 14 players after capping off its best campaign yet with an eighth-place finish in the 2024–2025 All-Filipino Conference.

Over at the HD Spikers camp, Cignal is wasting no time rebuilding after the departure of key players Ces Molina, Riri Meneses and Jov Fernandez.

The team has signed veteran wing spiker Heather Guino-o and champion middle blocker Ethan Arce to reinforce its roster for the upcoming season.

Guino-o joins the HD Spikers following a stint with Capital1 — the only PVL team she has played for since turning pro. Arce, meanwhile, leaves Petro Gazz after reportedly feeling underutilized in its crowded middle blocker rotation.

At just 24 years old, Arce was part of the recently crowned Angels, although she saw limited action after transferring from the now-disbanded F2 Logistics in 2023.

They are set to team up with returning spiker Tin Tiamzon as Cignal revamps its 15-player lineup in hopes of regaining contender status.