Choco Mucho kept its comforting run going while sending Petro Gazz into a frightening spin as the Flying Titans soared to an 18-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-16 victory and into joint second spot in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference elims before a sizeable Thursday crowd at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Hardly stung by a first set loss in a blistering five-game run, the Flying Titans regrouped in the next three, showcasing their strategic prowess and resilient floor defense. Their ability to stay composed in nerve-wracking exchanges became evident as they dominated the last two frames.
With a 6-1 slate, marred by an opening game loss to sister team Creamline, Choco Mucho moved closer to a coveted semis berth in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision. The Flying Titans joined the equally surging Chery Tiggo Crossovers at second, just behind the unbeaten Cool Smashers (6-0).
But Choco Mucho still faces a challenging path, needing to hurdle three formidable rivals in its last four elims matches to realize its semis aspirations. The Flying Titans tangle with the struggling F2 Logistics Cargo Movers on Nov. 21 and will collide with the PLDT High Speed Hitters on Nov. 23.
After a lightweight rival Gerflor on Nov. 28, the Flying Titans close out their elims campaign against the Crossovers on Dec. 2 in Iloilo.
Meanwhile, the Angels never recovered in the face of the Flying Titans’ surge in the last two sets and with four straight losses following a four-win spree, the two-time Reinforced champions and runners-up in this year’s first conference found themselves needing significant adjustments to at least reverse their current slump and rekindle their fading semis hopes.
“Malaking tulong yung panalo namin sa magiging kumpiyansa namin sa susunod na games. Importante kasi bawat laro lalo na ngayon padulo na elimination. Sobrang thankful ako sa naging resulta,” said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin.
“Nag-adjust lang kami sa receive, yun lang talaga ang naging problema namin,” added Alinsunurin, referring to their early struggle that led to their first-set loss in their last six games. “Importante tiyagain namin gaganda rin yung receive namin yun nagkataon talaga na nagtama yung floor defense namin yung blocking kaya nakuha yung second.”
Sisi Rondina paced Choco Mucho again with 17 points, highlighting her showing with a backrow attack from a broken play in the fourth set off a Deanna Wong brilliant feed, while Kat Tolentino and Isa Molde added 13 and 10 markers, respectively, and Chery Nunag took care of the middle and produced three blocks to finish with nine points.
Petro Gazz did draw big numbers from Grethcel Soltones, Jonah Sabete and Aiza Pontillas, who finished with 19, 18, and 12 points, respectively, while Kecelyn Galdones and Remy Palma combined for 13 markers. The Angels even ended up slightly on top of the spiking battle, 54-51, but they just couldn’t match the Flying Titans’ scorching run in the last two frames.
Inserted just late in the fourth, skipper Bea de Leon scored two points, the last an ace that landed in the deep corner of Petro Gazz court and ended the one-hour, 46-minute encounter.
