Turning what could have been a non-bearing Play-In playdate into a moment of reckoning, ZUS Coffee is leaving everything on the floor – with only one mission in mind: beat Capital1, and win it convincingly.
A sweep or a four-set triumph would give the Thunderbelles the maximum three points, catapulting them to the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals – a breakthrough that seemed improbable weeks ago.
The Thunderbelles, now with a 1-0 slate (2 points) in Pool A of the two-group Play-In phase, set out for the 6:30 p.m. showdown at the Philsports Arena against the Solar Spikers, who bowed to the Cignal HD Spikers in four sets last Thursday and are already out of contention.
Meanwhile, already eliminated Nxled and Farm Fresh clash in the 4 p.m. opener, seeking a measure of pride and a favorable finish in Pool B of the Play-In tournament.
A repeat of their straight-set win over the Solar Spikers in the prelims last Jan. 25 would be the ideal result for the Thunderbelles.
But what truly fuels their surge is not just their newfound rhythm – it’s the quiet, unconventional touch of head coach Jerry Yee, whose coaching style deviates from the usual mold of most volley tacticians but has proven effective in steering this young squad toward unexpected success.
“Masaya, masayang-masaya, yun lang (Happy, very happy – that’s all),” said Yee when asked about their shocking five-set upset of Cignal last Tuesday. His deadpan response drew laughter from the media, but beneath his short remarks was a deeper philosophy.
“May konting frustration, kasi sa fourth set, pwede na, eh hindi nakuha. Pero mabuti kumapit nung fifth set, so masaya na din (There's a bit of frustration because we could've closed it out in the fourth set, but we missed the chance. Good thing we held on in the fifth set, so I'm happy in the end),” he added, highlighting the team’s growing resilience despite their lack of experience.
It was that very ability to rise to the challenge that defined their momentous win over the HD Spikers – a game that saw them blow a huge lead in the fourth set, only to regroup and outplay their more seasoned opponents in the decider.
Yee's approach has always been different. Unlike most coaches who ride heavily on intense vocal instructions, he remains measured and composed even in pressure-packed moments. His preference for quiet observation over loud instructions has surprisingly worked wonders for the Thunderbelles, who have steadily built chemistry under his guidance.
“After we lost the fourth set, our coaches and ate Jove (Gonzaga) gathered us para mag-reset. They told us to forget the four sets, ang importante yung Set 5 (Our coaches and ate Jov (Gonzaga) gathered us to reset. They told us to forget about the first four sets, what mattered was Set 5),” recalled Chai Troncoso, the team’s top scorer against her former team Cignal with 21 points, including the decisive final two hits.
It was a stretch where experience and composure usually separate teams – but on that night, it was the young and unproven Thunderbelles who stood tall.
“Ang mindset namin ay bilog ang bola. We know na kaya namin, isinapuso namin ang bawat puntos kaya naman nag-worked as a team (Our mindset was that the ball is round. We knew we could do it, we put our hearts into every point, and that’s why we worked as a team),” said Gonzaga.
As it stands, ZUS Coffee needs to beat Capital1 in three or four sets to earn three full points and secure the last quarterfinal berth. But even if they falter and win in five, they will still tie Cignal’s four-point output – and will still advance by virtue of having two wins.
But with a once-faint playoff dream now within reach, the Thunderbelles are determined to leave nothing to chance.
“Si Lord, ang family ko, mga teammates at coaches ang motivation namin. Hindi kami makakarating dito kung hindi dahil sa kanila (God, my family, my teammates, and our coaches are our motivation. We wouldn't have made it this far without them),” said Chinnie Arroyo, who backed Troncoso with solid 20 points to earn the Best Player of the Game award.
For prized rookie Thea Gagate, the desire to avenge their preliminary round loss to Cignal fueled her drive. “Yung desire na makabawi from our last game (with Cignal), yun ang motivation (The desire to bounce back from our last game (against Cignal) – that’s our motivation),” she said.
Now, with their fate in their hands, the Thunderbelles aim to make their story even more compelling – backed by a coach, whose quiet brilliance and unorthodox methods have started to yield remarkable results.
“I'm very proud of this team. Pero sa ngayon, malayo pa kami. Pero may potential and we will work our game (But for now, we still have a long way to go. But there’s potential),” said Yee.
And should they pull off another victory on Thursday, the Thunderbelles won’t just be celebrating a quarterfinal berth – they’d be validating the power of belief, teamwork and a coach, whose silence speaks volumes.
