Sisi Rondina took flight to produce another explosive performance, banging away 15 attack points and spearheading an imposing Choco Mucho victory for the second straight time, 25-19, 25-19, 25-14, over Foton in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference elims at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Saturday.
The pocket-sized former UST stalwart also came away with three blocks to underscore her awesome leaping skills and finished with an ace for a 19-point blast to the delight of the packed crowd as she led the Flying Titans’ charge the way she did when she banged in 14 hits to mark her indoor volley debut with a 25-14, 25-7, 25-16 win over the Farm Fresh Foxies last Thursday.
In so doing, Rondina, who focused on beach volley since 2020, bagged the Player of the Game honors again.
“I’m enjoying it, but I just wanted to contribute,” said Rondina, who also serves as the team’s leading motivator.
“I always tell them that we should not stop until we reach 25 (points),” she said.
More importantly, Choco Mucho, which struggled to finish seventh in the All-Filipino Conference, took the Group B lead with a 2-0 mark with an eye on getting better and stronger when they resume their campaign in a keenly awaited face-off with the F2 Logistics at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on July 11.
The league, organized by Sports Vision, takes a nine-day break starting today (Sunday) to give way to the men’s VNL (Volleyball Nations League) staging.
“Sobrang masaya sa naging resulta. Lahat ng plano namin sa training, lahat nakukuha naming at tumataas ang porsiyento sa lahat ng ginagawa namin,” said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin, Jr.
In contrast, Foton faced early elimination in the short single round, two-group semis with a second straight loss in a tie with the Foxies.
Cherry Nunag and Des Cheng backed Rondina with 12 and 10 hits, respectively, while Caitlyn Viray added seven markers and Maddie Madayag made six points as Choco Mucho outhit Foton, 45-27, despite limited action from the team’s erstwhile top hitter Kat Tolentino, who finished with a solitary point while recovering from a recent injury.
Shaya Adorador came up with 10 points and Jaila Atiena added eight hits for the Tornadoes, who dropped a four-set setback to the Petro Gazz Angels last Thursday.
