ILAGAN, Isabela – Farm Fresh kept its foot on the gas and its eye on the prize, following up a gritty win over Choco Mucho with a confident straight-set conquest of a skidding Petro Gazz side, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23, in the PVL On Tour Sunday at the Capital Arena here.
Trisha Tubu delivered the clutch blows in a rousing third-set comeback, punctuating the Foxies’ weekend sweep with a pair of unexpected two-handed push shots that stunned the Angels and sent the jampacked crowd into a frenzy.
Farm Fresh clawed back from an 18-21 deficit to complete a 7-2 closing run, showcasing not just its big fighting heart but also the strategic brilliance of head coach Alessandro Lodi.
The Italian tactician once again pulled the right strings late, bringing in veteran Rachel Anne Daquis – who responded with another clutch stretch, just as she had in Set 2 – to help stabilize the team in crunch time and steer the Foxies to a 2-1 record in Pool A.
Tubu, known for her thunderous spikes, showed her versatility by twice opting for unorthodox mid-air pushes instead of her usual power finish – both catching the Angels off-guard. After the first brought Farm Fresh to match point, the second sealed the deal, leaving Petro Gazz stunned and scrambling.
Earlier in the third, Jolina dela Cruz kickstarted the comeback with a well-placed off-speed shot, and Daquis followed it up by blocking a Petro Gazz attack to end a tense rally. The Angels momentarily regained the lead on a Foxies miscue, but Daquis again stepped up with two consecutive hits to tie it up before a Jonah Sabete error gave Farm Fresh the edge and paved the way for Tubu’s heroics.
Tubu topscored with 15 points, while Dela Cruz – named Best Player of the Game – delivered 12 points off a smart mix of off-speed attacks and sharp placements. She attributed their win to better focus and team execution.
“We didn’t think of anything else but to execute coach Lodi’s game plan,” said Dela Cruz in Filipino. “We had some early struggles, but we gradually became more patient and just enjoyed the game.”
The win not only solidified Farm Fresh’s resurgence but also dealt a heavy blow to Petro Gazz’s campaign. The Angels, still missing key starters Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips, dropped to 1-3 and are now in danger of missing the race for one of two outright quarterfinal spots in the pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Myla Pablo again led Petro Gazz with 18 points, but for the second straight game lacked consistent support. Aiza Pontillas managed six points while Sabete was limited to five as the Angels continued to reel from the absence of their Alas Pilipinas stars.
In contrast, Farm Fresh dominated at the net with a 40-28 edge in attack points, overcoming a whopping 30 unforced errors, mostly on service. Petro Gazz also struggled with errors, yielding 23 points of its own.
Caitlyn Viray matched Dela Cruz’s output, including three kill blocks, along with five excellent digs and six receptions, while Daquis chipped in four clutch markers in a two-set appearance.
Setting the tone once more was Alohi Robins-Hardy, who outclassed her counterpart Djanel Cheng with 13 excellent sets to six, as she continued to orchestrate Farm Fresh’s steadily improving offensive rhythm.
With renewed confidence, growing chemistry, and back-to-back wins, Farm Fresh now finds itself just behind Pool A co-leaders PLDT and Nxled (2-0), turning heads as a legitimate contender on the rise.
Emerging fresh from a taxing four-set triumph over Choco Mucho, the Foxies showed no signs of fatigue as they dominated an Angels squad that appeared drained and dispirited coming off a straight-set defeat to the PLDT High Speed Hitters. With two of its key players still missing, Petro Gazz struggled to muster fire or rhythm, trailing throughout and failing to respond to Farm Fresh’s sustained pressure.
Despite the straight-set result, the large Sunday crowd remained energized, drawn into the action by the Foxies’ elevated level of play and visible growth in team chemistry. The match underscored Farm Fresh’s evolution – not just as a dark horse but as a legitimate title contender.
