Choco Mucho finally laid its five-set heartbreaks to rest, turning back Akari in a thrilling 25-18, 25-22, 27-29, 25-19 victory on Thursday night at the Araneta Coliseum to force a sudden-death match for the bronze medal in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
After back-to-back five-set collapses to the Chargers, the Flying Titans came out with fire and focus, refusing to let history repeat itself. Spearheaded by Sisi Rondina’s explosive outing and crucial support from Royse Tubino, Choco Mucho soared past its demons – and the Chargers – to stay in medal contention.
Rondina, the league’s scoring leader, dropped 26 points, all but one on attacks, while Tubino delivered in the clutch, especially in the decisive fourth frame.
Akari had seemed poised to replicate its Game 1 comeback after stealing the extended third set, 29-27. But this time, Choco Mucho held firm.
The Flying Titans appeared headed for a dominant start in the series opener, surging to a 2-0 lead. But their momentum crumbled as the Chargers staged a gutsy comeback, ultimately pulling off a 24-26, 21-25, 25-15, 25, 15-11 victory last Tuesday.
The result thus kept Choco Mucho’s medal bid alive. If Petro Gazz clinches the championship against Creamline in Game 2 of the Finals being played at presstime, the Flying Titans take home the bronze with superior match points. But if Creamline forces a Game 3, Choco Mucho and Akari will battle it out once again on Saturday.
“We knew what needed to be done,” said Rondina in Filipino. “We just followed our coach’s program, stuck to our plays, talked to each other, and focused on our individual roles.”
Clinging to a 14-11 edge, the Flying Titans unleashed a clutch 4-0 run, sparked by Rondina’s relentless attacks, scoring on back-to-back hits. Mars Alba then delivered a pinpoint ace and Royse Tubino capped it off with a sharp cross-court kill, stretching their lead to 17-11.
The Chargers made one final push, with Steph Bustrillo, Ivy Lacsina and Eli Soyud combining for a 4-1 rally that trimmed the deficit to 19-23.
But they fell short, as Rondina slammed the door shut with back-to-back kills, putting the exclamation point on Choco Mucho’s bounce-back win that snapped a four-game losing streak.
"Sa wakas, nanalo din kami ngayon (mula semis) tsaka itong battle for third. Sobrang, alam mo ‘yun, sobrang down talaga kami nung pagkatalo namin sa semis na alam namin na may chance kami, pero hindi natin masabi dahil talagang bago kami pumunta ng semis, talagang nagkulang nanaman yung player namin, nagkulang kami,” said Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
“Pero syempre, hindi ko namang kailangan doon sisihin – ang importante lang ngayon, naka-recover kami, and sana magtuloy-tuloy kami sa Game 3 namin, sa panalo ngayon,” he added.
Rondina, coming off an 18-point performance in Game 1, elevated her game, leading Choco Mucho to a gritty and hard-fought victory.
Tubino provided stellar support, adding 17 points and an equal number of excellent digs, while Isa Molde dazzled with her all-around brilliance, contributing 12 points and 14 exceptional digs.
Meanwhile, Cherry Nunag also made her presence felt, tallying 11 points, including two kill blocks, to help seal the victory for Choco Mucho.
Deanna Wong, who was replaced by Alba at the start of the fourth frame, orchestrated the offense, delivering 17 sets alongside three points, while Thang Ponce showcased her defensive prowess, registering an impressive 27 excellent receptions.
On the other hand, Akari ran out of gas as early as the fourth set, unable to keep up with the relentless pace of Rondina, Tubino and the Flying Titans.
Soyud led the Chargers with 16 points, while Lacsina contributed 15 points, including 13 attacks and two blocks, along with 12 excellent receptions.
Grethcel Soltones posted a remarkable triple-double performance, finishing with 15 points, 12 exceptional digs, and 22 excellent receptions, while Ced Domingo added 10 points for the Chargers.
Playmaker Michelle Cobb dished out 20 excellent sets, while Justine Jazareno finished with 22 excellent digs after a stellar 29-dig performance in Game One.
“No matter what happens, as long as we put in the work, we’ll have no regrets,” said Rondina. “We were exhausted, but we’re happy because we proved we can still win.”
She added, “The mindset was: as long as the ball hasn’t hit the floor and the score hasn’t hit 25, we don’t give up.”
