The Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference prelims heats up on Thursday as four teams lock horns in explosive matchups at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, with all eyes set on closing the year on a winning note.

Creamline, fresh from a commanding victory over rival Choco Mucho, aims for a fourth consecutive win to tie the league-leading Cignal heading into the holiday break.

The Cool Smashers, riding on the momentum of their stellar 3-0 start where they’ve dropped just one set, are heavy favorites against the young and tenacious ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the 4 p.m. opener.

Despite their early struggles, the Thunderbelles have shown resilience with back-to-back victories over the Nxled Chameleons and the Galeries Tower Highrisers, but a recent four-set loss to the Farm Fresh Foxies has left them with a 2-2 record.

For the defending champions, headlined by the likes of Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao and Bernadeth Pons, victory seems within reach as they continue their dominance in this six-month-long tournament organized by Sports Vision.

Yet, unpredictability has been the norm in the country’s premier volley league, and the Thunderbelles, led by promising rookie Thea Gagat and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Chai Troncoso, are determined to defy the odds.

To stun the seasoned Cool Smashers, howeverm they’ll need more than strategy – they’ll need unwavering grit and an element of surprise.

Meanwhile, the 6:30 p.m. clash between Choco Mucho and Farm Fresh promises to be another intense battle. The Flying Titans, stung by their recent loss to the Cool Smashers, are eager to bounce back, while the Foxies aim to build on their back-to-back wins against the Thunderbelles and the Akari Chargers.

Choco Mucho, anchored by the explosive Sisi Rondina and seasoned stars like Kat Tolentino and Isa Molde, faces the Foxies’ rising talents, including Trisha Tubu and Alyssa Bertolano, who are hungry to make their mark.

As the tournament, supported by Arena Plus, Fabriano Appliances, Milcu, Watsons, iColor & Argan Beauty, Tapa King, Sport Radar, and Mikasa, heads into its penultimate elims playdate for the year, each team is fighting not just for the win but to carry momentum into 2025.