‘Fearless’ Kat, ‘hungry’ Regine shine as Choco Mucho outlasts Army

Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ Kat Tolentino. –PVL PHOTO

Choco Mucho wasn’t going down against a team that has not been winning of late.

Big Kat made sure of that.

Cramp-stricken Kat Tolentino bared her claws and powered the depleted Flying Titans past an Army-Black Mamba side that stubbornly gunned for an end to a long slump, forging a 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-27, 15-11 victory Thursday evening in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

“I’m speechless. [Kat] is fearless, said Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin in Filipino.

Tolentino looked headed for the freezer after cramping up late in the third set, but returned in the crucial moment of the fourth and kept her team afloat in the decider as she led the way with 20 points, including the game-winning cross-court kill.

Tolentino’s grit—and key contributions from the rest of the Titans—allowed Choco Mucho to prevail after a grueling match that lasted almost three hours even as captain Bea de Leon and Des Cheng were decommissioned by health problems.

“[Tolentino] told me in the fifth set that she could play. So I gave her a chance,” Alinsunurin said. “And she delivered. That’s why I’m thankful for her performance.”

Isa Molde was also instrumental with 19 points off 18 kills. But it was Regine Arocha who provided much-needed contribution as she stepped up to fill the void left by Cheng, finishing with 13 points, including three in the fifth set.

“It was my first time to play with the [first] six in a long while and I really felt the hunger and eagerness to kill every ball,” Arocha said.