The 2022 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference was the eleventh conference of the Premier Volleyball League, its second conference as a professional league, and the first conference of the 2022 season.
The conference was held from March 16 to April 8, 2022, pending restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. A pool play format was adapted for the first time, wherein teams were divided into two pools, as opposed to a round-robin format where all teams play against each other at least once. The preliminary round was held at the Paco Arena in Manila. The quarterfinal round and semifinals games 1 & 3 were held at the San Juan Arena in San Juan. The semifinals game 2 and finals game 1 were held at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, while the finals game 2 was held at Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal.
Nine teams competed in this conference, as Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Crossovers looked to defend their championship. F2 Logistics Cargo Movers had their debut in the Premier Volleyball League. Two teams from the previous conference, Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors and Perlas Spikers, filed for a leave of absence from the league, and released all of their players.
Participating teams
Abbr. Team Affiliation Head coach Team captain ABM Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Philippine Army / Corbridge Group Kungfu Reyes Royse Tubino BLP BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Balibago Waterworks System, Inc. Rommel Abella Alina Bicar CTC Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Crossovers United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. Aaron Vélez Jasmine Nabor CMF Choco Mucho Flying Titans Republic Biscuit Corporation Oliver Almadro Bea De Leon CHD Cignal HD Spikers Cignal TV, Inc. Shaq Delos Santos Rachel Daquis CCS Creamline Cool Smashers Republic Biscuit Corporation Sherwin Meneses Alyssa Valdez FTL F2 Logistics Cargo Movers F2 Logistics Philippines Benson Bocboc Aby Maraño PGA Petro Gazz Angels PetroGazz Ventures Phils. Corp. Jerry Yee Chie Saet PLD PLDT High Speed Hitters PLDT Inc. George Pascua Rhea Dimaculangan
Pool composition For the first time in league history, the Open Conference catered multiple pools in the preliminary round with the nine participating teams grouped into two pools. The groupings were unveiled on February 18, 2022 with teams grouped through serpentine system using 2021 Open Conference final standings. F2 Logistics Cargo Movers were drawn to Pool A during their meeting as they did not compete in the last conference.
Pool APool B Chery Tiggo Crossovers (1) Creamline Cool Smashers (2) Choco Mucho Flying Titans (4) Petro Gazz Angels (3) Black Mamba Army Lady Troopers (6) PLDT High Speed Hitters (7) Cignal HD Spikers (10) BaliPure Purest Water Defenders (8) F2 Logistics Cargo Movers (new)
Venues The conference started on a "semi-bubble" setup with a strict home-venue-home format for teams at the Paco Arena with no spectators allowed in the venue due to COVID-19 restrictions. After the preliminary round, the league officially started accepting live audiences to watch the games in the playoffs.
PreliminariesQuarterfinals, classification, semifinalsCity of ManilaSan Juan CityPaco ArenaFiloil EcoOil CentreCapacity: 1,000Capacity: 6,000 Classification, semifinals, finalsSemifinals, finalsPasay CityAntipoloSM Mall of Asia ArenaYnares CenterCapacity: 15,000Capacity: 7,400
Transactions National team players The following players were part of the national team that would compete in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May. Team Player/s Chery Tiggo 7 Pro CrossoversMylene PaatJaja Santiago colspan=2 Choco Mucho Flying Titans Kat Tolentino colspan=3 Cignal HD Spikers Ria Meneses Frances Molina colspan=2 Creamline Cool Smashers Jema Galanza Kyle Negrito Alyssa Valdez F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Mary Joy Baron Dawn Macandili Abigail Maraño Iris Tolenada PLDT High Speed Hitters Kath Arado Dell Palomata colspan=2
Team additions and transfers The following are the players who transferred to another team on the upcoming conference.
Player Moving from (last team) Moving to Necole Ebuen Choco Mucho Flying Titans Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Michelle Morente Perlas Spikers Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Jeanette Villareal Perlas Spikers Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Ivy Perez Petro Gazz Angels Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Aiko Urdas PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters Army Black Mamba Lady Troopers Rapril Aguilar Cignal HD Spikers BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Julia Ipac Cignal HD Spikers BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Janine Marciano Cignal HD Spikers BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Marian Buitre Chery Tiggo Crossovers BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Jamie Lavitoria Choco Mucho Flying Titans BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Patty Orendain Generika-Ayala Lifesavers(PSL) BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Jhoana Maraguinot Perlas Spikers BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Alina Joyce Bicar Petro Gazz Angels BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Alyssa Eroa PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Julia Angeles BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Chery Tiggo Crossovers May Luna Cignal HD Spikers Chery Tiggo Crossovers Cza Carandang Perlas Spikers Chery Tiggo Crossovers Roma Joy Doromal Perlas Spikers Chery Tiggo Crossovers Necelle Mae Gual PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters Chery Tiggo Crossovers EJ Laure UST Golden Tigresses (UAAP) Chery Tiggo Crossovers Aduke Christine Ogunsanya F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Choco Mucho Flying Titans Desiree Wynea Cheng F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Choco Mucho Flying Titans Cherry Rose Nunag Perlas Spikers Choco Mucho Flying Titans Jamenea Ferrer Perlas Spikers Choco Mucho Flying Titans Thang Ponce Perlas Spikers Choco Mucho Flying Titans Maria Lina Isabel Molde PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters Choco Mucho Flying Titans Graze Bombita BaliPure Purest Water Defenders Cignal HD Spikers Angeli Araneta Generika-Ayala Lifesavers(PSL) Cignal HD Spikers Bia General Generika-Ayala Lifesavers(PSL) Cignal HD Spikers Gel Cayuna Perlas Spikers Cignal HD Spikers Ria Meneses Petro Gazz Angels Cignal HD Spikers Frances Molina Petro Gazz Angels Cignal HD Spikers Jerrili Malabanan Petro Gazz Angels Cignal HD Spikers Marist Layug PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters Cignal HD Spikers Glaudine Tronocoso Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Cignal HD Spikers Iris Janelle Tolenada Motolite Power Builders F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Dzi Gervacio Perlas Spikers F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Shola Alvarez PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Jessma Clarice Ramos UP Fighting Maroons (UAAP) F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Rose Mary Cailing UP Fighting Maroons (UAAP) F2 Logistics Cargo Movers Nicole Tiamzon Perlas Spikers Petro Gazz Angels Marielle Gabarda PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters Petro Gazz Angels Aiza Maizo-Pontillas Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Petro Gazz Angels MJ Phillips Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Petro Gazz Angels Bang Pineda Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Petro Gazz Angels Djanel Cheng Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Petro Gazz Angels Jonah Sabete Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Petro Gazz Angels Fiola Ceballos Cignal HD Spikers PLDT High Speed Hitters Heather Guino-o Perlas Spikers PLDT High Speed Hitters Jules Samonte Perlas Spikers PLDT High Speed Hitters Kath Arado Petro Gazz Angels PLDT High Speed Hitters Jessey De Leon Petro Gazz Angels PLDT High Speed Hitters Mean Mendrez Petro Gazz Angels PLDT High Speed Hitters Wendy Semana Philippine Air Force Lady Jet Spikers PLDT High Speed Hitters Dell Palomata Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors PLDT High Speed Hitters Jovie Prado Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors PLDT High Speed Hitters Mika Aereen Reyes Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors PLDT High Speed Hitters Lhara Clavano UE Lady Warriors (UAAP) PLDT High Speed Hitters
Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Replaced by Ref Creamline Cool Smashers Anusorn Bundit Replaced due to COVID-19 lockdowns Sherwin Meneses Petro Gazz Angels Arnold Laniog Reassigned Jerry Yee PLDT High Speed Hitters Roger Gorayeb Resigned George Pascua
Format Preliminary round The nine teams were split into two pools, one pool of five and one pool of four, and competed in a single round-robin tournament, with each team playing one match against all other teams within their group. The top four teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals, with the top two earning a twice-to-beat advantage. The fifth place team from the group of five was eliminated from title contention and advanced to the 7th–9th classification round.
Quarterfinals The top four teams from each preliminary round pool competed in the crossover quarterfinals. The top two teams from each pool had a twice-to-beat advantage, meaning those teams only needed to win one of their next two matches, while their opponents needed to win two matches in a row. The winners advanced to the semifinals while the losers competed in the classification rounds. The match-ups for the quarterfinals were as follows: QF1: Pool A #1 vs. Pool B #4 QF2: Pool B #1 vs. Pool A #4 QF3: Pool A #2 vs. Pool B #3 QF4: Pool B #2 vs. Pool A #3
Classification rounds The losing teams from the quarterfinals competed in one of two classification rounds. The losers from QF1 and QF2 joined the fifth place team from the pool of five in the 7th–9th classification round. Teams competed in a single round-robin tournament, with each team playing a total of two matches. Teams were ranked 7th through 9th in the final standings, based on results from this round. The losers from QF3 and QF4 competed in a single match to determine which team would finish fifth in this conference.
Semifinals The winning teams from the quarterfinals competed in the semifinals. Teams competed in best-of-three series, with the winners advancing to the finals, while the losers competed in the third place series. The match-ups for the semifinals were as follows: SF1: QF1 winner vs. QF4 winner SF2: QF2 winner vs. QF3 winner
Third place series The losing teams from the semifinals competed in a best-of-three series to determine which team would finish third in this conference. If the series is tied at 1–1 when the championship is decided, the pool standing procedure is used (starting from set ratio).
Finals The winning teams from the semifinals competed in a best-of-three series to determine the conference champions. The losing team in this round was declared conference runners-up.
Pool standing procedure Teams are initially ranked by wins followed by match points. A win awards three points if the match lasted for three or four sets (3–0 or 3–1), or two points if the match lasted for five sets (3–2). A loss only awards one point if the match lasted for five sets (2–3).
If multiple teams tie for wins and match points, the next criteria are set ratio (the number of sets won divided by number of sets lost across all matches) and point ratio (the number of points won divided by number of points lost across all matches). If any teams are still tied, the procedure will be applied again, but only considering matches between the remaining tied teams.
Preliminary round All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+8:00).
Pool A
Pool B
Bracket All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
Quarterfinals All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
(A1) Cignal vs. (B4) BaliPure
(B1) Creamline vs. (A4) Chery Tiggo
(A2) Choco Mucho vs. (B3) PLDT
(B2) Petro Gazz vs. (A3) F2 Logistics
Classification rounds All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
7th–9th classification round
Fifth place match
Semifinals All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
(A1) Cignal vs. (B2) Petro Gazz
(B1) Creamline vs. (A2) Choco Mucho
Third place series
Since the finals series concluded after two matches, the third match of the third place series was cancelled and the pool standing procedure was used to determine the winner. Cignal had a higher point ratio than Choco Mucho (1.022–0.978), and thus were ranked third in the final standings.
Finals
All times are Philippines Standard Time (UTC+08:00).
Final standing