By Leiniel A. Santos

After years of being recognized as ‘MVPons,’ former Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraw Bernadeth Pons lived up to her title as she won the conference and finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2024 Reinforced Conference, together with fellow FEU alum Gel Cayuna, who notched the Best Setter award again today, September 4, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

Despite the absence of the Creamline Cool Smasher (CCS) trio of Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, and Jema Galanza, former Lady Tam Pons stepped up to lead her team to dominate another season. 

The green-and-gold alum’s triple-double performance of 28 attacks, 24 excellent receptions, and 17 excellent digs in their semifinal match helped them to snatch the victory against the Cignal HD Spikers via reverse sweep.

She also came up big during their finals match with 19 points from 14 attacks and five aces against the Akari Chargers, who settled for silver as the CCS clinched the PVL 2024 Reinforced Conference crown and their ninth championship in PVL history. 

According to the stats on the PVL official website, Pons ranked 12th in the scoring department with 131 points, which made her the second-best scorer among all the local players in the tournament.

The former FEU superstar also showed prowess on the defensive end, ranking second in receiving with 46.48 percent efficiency and fifth in digging with a 3.23 average per set. 

Meanwhile, Cignal HD Spiker Cayuna bagged her fourth best setter award against her former Lady Tam teammate and CCS’s Kyle Negrito, who ranked first in the setting department. 

Despite Cayuna’s 4.77 average per set in the setting department being behind Negrito’s 4.90, her second placement in serving made her ahead of Negrito’s seventh. 

The Cignal HD Spikers managed to secure the bronze medal against the PLDT High Speed Hitters, with Cayuna as the Player of the Game, together with their import MJ Perez.

Brooke Van Sickle of the Petro Gazz Angels and Grethcel Soltones of the Akari Chargers took home the 1st and 2nd Best Outside Spiker awards; Des Clemente of the Capital1 Solar Spikers and Majoy Baron of the PLDT High Speed Hitters won the 1st and 2nd Best Middle Blocker awards; Trisha Tubu of the Farm Fresh Foxies secured the Best Opposite Spiker award; and Alyssa Eroa of the Galeries Tower Highrisers prevailed as the Best Libero.

Meanwhile, Sharya Ancheta of the Zus Thunderbelles notched the first PVL Rookie of the Year award and MJ Perez of the Cignal HD Spikers was named the Best Foreign Guest Player.

The PVL 2024 Invitational Conference also started earlier today with a match against the two guest teams of Est Cola from Thailand and the PVL 2023 Invitational Conference champions Kurashiki Ablaze from Japan. 

(Photos courtesy of the PVL)