Choco Mucho Flying Titans. PVL Media Bureau
PASSI CITY (UPDATED) – Choco Mucho swept Chery Tiggo in Aby Marano's hometown, 25-18, 25-23, 26-24, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the City of Passi Arena.
The Flying Titans, before this match, are already assured of the No. 5 seed as PLDT clinched the fourth spot earlier in the day when it trounced Zus Coffee in straight sets, 25-20, 25-16, 25-15.
Choco Mucho is also one of the hottest teams in the PVL right now, riding on a six-game winning run entering the qualifying phase.
For the Crossovers' part, they have concluded the preliminaries at eighth, which means that they will face the Dante Alinsunurin-coached squad again in the next round.
"Sabi ko sa players ko, kahit anong mangyari dito, kailangan natin makuha 'tong game na 'to kasi malaking tulong 'to sa 'tin para sa next round — and nag-response naman sila nung first set," said Alinsunurin in an interview with reporters.
"Nung two to three [sets] talaga medyo nag-relax kami, pero bandang huli naman nakuha pa rin namin," he also said.
Set 2 was a comeback for the Flying Titans, overturning what was once a 19-22 deficit for Cebuana Sisi Rondina and company, as the high-flyer sparked a 6-1 blitz to steal the frame from Passi's volleyball hero, Marano, and her squad.
It was Shaya Adorador who suffered an unfortunate attack error which gifted the Flying Titans a dominant 2-0 set lead.
The final chapter went into an extension when opposite hitter Dindin Santiago-Manabat fell short on her spike, 24-all.
But Rondina, as always, refused to back down, clinching an attack point, as Santiago-Manabat redeemed herself after she dealt the finishing blow—a sharp crosscourt spike which was unable to be answered by the Crossovers.
READ: PVL: Choco Mucho overcomes gritty Nxled in 5-set marathon
Rondina fired 20 points on 18 attacks and two blocks to lead the Flying Titans' offense, while Isa Molde, who also hails from Visayas, collected 15 points and showed her defensive prowess of 15 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions
READ: PVL: Choco Mucho extends win streak to 4 by repelling Akari
Chery Tiggo's Cess Robles, an Iloilo City native, dropped eight points, logged 10 excellent digs and five excellent receptions in front of her townmates, while Ara Galang had a team-high of nine markers and also tallied 11 excellent digs.