Choco Mucho made a strong comeback, edging out Australia and putting them on the brink of elimination with a resounding 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-23, 25-10) in the 2023 VTV Cup, held at the Lao Cai Gymnasium in Vietnam on Monday.
The Flying Titans bounced back from their previous defeat, improving their record to 2-1 after a straight-set loss to Vietnam 1 in the previous match.
Seizing a 2-0 lead, Choco Mucho wasted no time in overpowering the Australian team, racing to a commanding 15-2 advantage fueled by the impressive performances of Isa Molde, Sisi Rondina, and Kat Tolentino.
Maintaining their momentum, the team backed by Rebisco maintained their dominance, stretching their lead to a staggering 16 points, reaching 22-6, thanks to an error in Australia's attack. This secured their second win in the tournament.
During the first set, the Flying Titans pulled away, securing a significant 9-point lead at 23-14, with Rondina's off-the-block hit and Caitlyn Viray's ace contributing to the surge. Australia managed to score a point, but a net touch from their side granted Choco Mucho the set point at 24-15. Rondina then delivered a powerful pipe attack, granting her team an early 1-0 advantage in sets.
In the closely contested second set, Australia remained within striking distance, trailing by just one point at 22-23 during the latter part of the set, thanks to a crucial service error from Viray. However, Rondina countered with an off-the-block hit, bringing the Flying Titans to set point. Despite a drop by Mikaela Stevens attempting to keep Australia in the game, Rondina's back-row attack secured the set and propelled the Filipinas ahead 2-0.
Looking ahead, Choco Mucho is set to compete against Vietnam 2 on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. at the same venue.
