Behind its stifling 20-minute romp in Set 2, Choco Mucho put up a smashing start to its campaign, rolling past Farm Fresh, 25-14, 25-7, 25-16, joining F2 Logistics in the early lead in the crowded Group B in the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference on Thursday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan.
The Flying Titans piled up 13 straight points in the second frame in an emphatic showing by a team out to make up for its seventh place finish in the recent All-Filipino Conference against a new squad that showed a lot of promise before bowing to F2 Logistics, 22-25, 20-25, 23-25, in its PVL debut last Tuesday.
But the Foxies came out flat against the Flying Titans, who soared early behind new recruit Sisi Rondina, who produced a best 14-point output to herald her return to indoor volley after focusing on the beach front the last four years.
“It wasn’t difficult at all for me to join (Choco Mucho). My mindset is just to work hard,” said Rondina, the former UST stalwart, in Filipino.
Caitlyn Viray also shone for Choco Mucho with 13 points while Deanna Wong fired five aces and finished with eight markers, Maddie Madayag added seven points, and Chery Nunag and Des Cheng delivered six hits apiece for the Flying Titans, who overpowered the Foxies on a glaring 40-19 stat on attacks.
Choco Mucho likewise used its ceiling and came away with 12 blocks, 10 more than Farm Fresh in another lopsided duel at the net.
“It was a good game, kasi nakita namin ung naging plano namin about service receive. Talagang tumaas ang percentage at every set, yun ang nagdi-dictate ng tempo sa amin…nakaka-depensa na kami at nakakapalo ng maayos,” said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin, Jr.
Farm Fresh mentor Jerry Yee used different slants to motivate his wards as Wong stayed longer than everybody had thought behind the service line in the second set. Though the Foxies snapped their slump after yielding 13 straight points, the Flying Titans gave up just six the rest of the way while scoring 12 more of their own.
Choco Mucho also racked up six straight points in the third and after Farm Fresh fought back to somewhat close the gap at 9-15, the Flying Titans closed out the Foxies with 10-7 run to book their surprisingly easy 67-minute victory.
Trisha Tubu fired seven points while Kate Santiago and Zamantha Nolasco struggled with four hits apiece and Michelle Gamit added three points for the Foxies, who moved to the brink with a 0-2 slate.
