Choco Mucho displayed its trademark class and expertise, leaving an Nxled side grappling with the puzzle of closing out games, posting a 25-11, 25-20, 25-19 victory to make it a crowded leaderboard in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference elims at the Philsports Arena in Pasig Tuesday.
The red-hot Flying Titans used a strong start to take command then unleashed a strong finishing kick in the third to complete their fourth-straight shutout victory after dropping a four-set defeat to the Creamline Cool Smashers last Oct. 15. In between, the crowd favorites put in enough effort to dash whatever hopes the Chameleons had after keeping the second set close majority of the way.
“Lagi naman pinapaalala ni coach Dante (Alinsunurin) sa mga players na importante yung sistema,” said Choco Mucho assistant coach Jessie Lopez, who filled in for their head mentor in the post-match interview.
“Kailangan namin mag-adjust sa lahat ng sitwasyon, every set kasi siempre iba’t-iba ang kalaban, iba’t-iba ang kilos. Doon pumapasok yung scouting at pina-paaral talaga ni coach (Dante) kung sino ang makakalaban namin sa susunod,” Lopez added.
The third set actually looked headed to a wild finish as Camille Victoria scored on a push to put the Chameleons back to within in one, 18-19, and then leveled the count with a two-handed dump.
Isa Molde, however, had other things in mind.
The former UP stalwart countered with back-to-back points on an off-the-block hit and a drop ball and Tolentino scored again from the backrow before Aduke Ogunsanya put the Flying Titans at match point with a dump.
The Chameleons tried to stave off the impending defeat by battling their fancied rivals to a series of exchanges but Sisi Rondina’s rather feeble backrow attack hit the top of the net before dropping into an unguarded spot in the middle of Nxled’s fort, ending the 73-minute contest.
The Flying Titans finished with 47 attack points against the Chameleons’ 33, and though the latter came up with more blocks, 6-3, they yielded too many unforced errors, which translated into 24 points for Choco Mucho.
Playmaker Deanna Wong took the game’s top honors on a 20-excellent set effort, outshining counterpart Kamille Cal, who finished with just eight excellent sets, while Rondina again showed the way for Choco Mucho with 16 points.
“I think things are really working for us – the system, teamwork and having each other’s back,” said Wong. “Game by game, we’re getting there. But there’s still a lot to improve, to work on.”
Molde wound up with nine markers, Tolentino, Ogunsanya and Cherry Nunag matched six-point outputs and middles Maddie Madayag and Bea de Leon scored four and three points, respectively, for the Flying Titans, who will next face the Akari Chargers on Saturday.
Jho Maraguinot came away with 14 points while Judith Abil had 11 markers but Lycha Ebon struggled for six points and Victoria and May Luna chipped in four and three points, respectively, for Nxled, which fell to its fourth straight defeat after blasting Gerflor in three last Oct. 15.
