Kat Tolentino makes instant impact in return

Kat Tolentino provided the much-needed spark to help Choco Mucho live to fight another day on Thursday afternoon.

The 6-foot-2 opposite spiker missed the team's last two matches after being placed under the league's health and safety protocols along with Des Cheng, Cherry Nunag, and Thang Ponce.

And on her first game back, Tolentino played like she never left, putting up a game-high 27 points to go along with 22 excellent digs in the Flying Titans' crucial five-set win over PLDT.

Tolentino also delivered five of the team's last eight points in the extended fifth set.

"It was hard just watching them and not being able to help of course," said Tolentino.

"That made me want to push myself in today's game and it just made me so much more eager to play," she added.

Choco Mucho already placed a 2-0 cushion against the High Speed Hitters but yielded the next two sets which forced a fifth set.

During the final stretch, it was Tolentino and Ponggah Gaston who delivered the differential hits that allowed the Flying Titans to stay alive in the hunt for the final two spots in the semifinals.

"I guess it's just to win because it doesn't matter how many sets we win as long as we win this and I think our team has come a long way and for us to really fight at the end, like what coach said, we showed our character and I think we really wanted it more at the end and that's why we got the win," said Tolentino.

For her part, Tolentino said that she just stayed true to her role which is to attack PLDT's relentlessly and help out on the defensive end.

She also stated how proud she was of the character that the Flying Titans showed throughout their do-or-die match. And Tolentino hopes that the teamK can continue where they left off when they take on Petro Gazz on Saturday night -- the game that will most likely decide their fate in the tournament.

"I just had to do my role and that's what coach always wants me to focus on. I think I was just trying to... like what Ponggay said, do it for the team. It doesn't matter if we score how many points as long as we work together and as long as we each do our own part then we could really help each other."