CANDON, Ilocos Sur – Given the opportunity to rise, ZUS Coffee seized the moment in a grueling, high-stakes battle the Thunderbelles seemed tailor-made for, delivering a poised yet fearless performance to shock a stunned Chery Tiggo side, 19-25, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 15-6, in the PVL On Tour Tuesday at the Candon City Arena.
Down 1-2 in sets and teetering on the brink, the Thunderbelles mounted a blistering turnaround midway through the fourth before dominating the decider in stunning, runaway fashion. Just moments earlier, the Crossovers appeared headed for an outright quarterfinals berth – only to watch their composure unravel in the face of ZUS Coffee’s signature grit and go-for-broke style.
The Thunderbelles’ stirring victory, while not enough to secure them an automatic slot in the Last 8, showcased their mettle and established them as a team built for high-pressure moments – especially when matches go the full distance.
In fact, this marked the fourth time in five prelims matches that the Thunderbelles were dragged into a fifth set – and they’ve now won three of them. That list includes a gutsy comeback win over multi-titled Creamline last July 19 in Iloilo City, a triumph that sent shockwaves through the league organized by Sports Vision and signaled their rise as a legitimate dark horse.
“We still have a lot to prove. I think we’re not quite there yet,” said veteran setter Cloanne Mondonedo in Filipino, who was named Best Player of the Game after issuing a brilliant 36 excellent sets in the two-hour, five-minute war of attrition.
“I know most teams would rather not go through five sets, but for us – it’s simple. We just don’t want to go home with regrets,” she added.
And it shows. ZUS Coffee doesn’t just survive fifth sets – they thrive in them.
Mondonedo, who also scored two points, orchestrated the offense with precision, enabling rookie AC Miner to break out with 19 points. Kate Santiago added 13 markers, while Chinnie Arroyo and Chai Troncoso chipped in 11 and 10, respectively.
It was a tough setback for Chery Tiggo, which had appeared on track to clinch the last quarters slot before faltering down the stretch.
Rookie standout Renee Peñafiel once again showed poise beyond her years with 19 points, while Cess Robles (18), Imee Hernandez and Ara Galang finished with 18, 14 and 11 markers, respectively.
But their combined efforts couldn’t stop the Thunderbelles from pulling away in the end.
After forcing a fifth set, ZUS Coffee immediately seized control, allowing the Crossovers to tie just once at 1. From there, the Thunderbelles launched a 4-0 burst, highlighted by Arroyo’s consecutive hits, and widened the gap to a commanding 11-5 after Santiago’s power strike pierced through a two-woman block off an out-of-system play.
It was cruise control the rest of the way, capped by Jovelyn Gonzaga’s emphatic blast that not only sealed the win but also extinguished the Crossovers’ hopes for a comeback.
Statistically, Chery Tiggo had the edge in attacks, 69-58, but it was ZUS Coffee’s overall efficiency and net defense that turned the tide.
The Thunderbelles outblocked the Crossovers, 11-8, with Miner anchoring a spirited fourth-set stand with a mix of blocks and running attacks.
ZUS Coffee also limited their unforced errors, yielding just 12 free points compared to Chery Tiggo’s 29 – a discrepancy that underscored the Thunderbelles’ discipline under pressure.
Though Creamline ultimately benefitted most from the Thunderbelles’ upset – snatching the last quarterfinals berth via superior tiebreak points – ZUS Coffee’s gritty run has sent a clear message: if a match goes to five, the Thunderbelles be the last ones standing.
