Choco Mucho Flying Titans celebrate the PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals win over Petro Gazz that sealed a Finals return. –PVL PHOTO
Choco Mucho forged a PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals rematch against defending champion Creamline after ousting Petro Gazz, 23-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20 Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Shortly after the Cool Smashers secured a ticket to the championship round in the earlier game, Sisi Rondina soared for the Flying Titans with 32 points built on 30 attacks, a block and an ace to lift Choco Mucho to its second consecutive PVL Finals appearance.
“Sobrang saya [to enter the Finals] talagang pumunta kami rito para kunin yung panalo kasi ‘yun talaga yung naging goal namin mula nung after nung last year na championship,” coach Dante Alinsunurin said after the important win notched in front of 17,834 fans.
READ: PVL: Frustrating losing skid to Creamline finally ends for Choco Mucho
“Sabi namin kailangan naming … makapasok sa Finals. Kung ano ‘man yung gagawin naming adjustment [to reach the] Finals … sana makuha namin ulit,” he added.
Isa Molde provided 18 points, 13 coming from attacks including the last two to seal the match, as well as four blocks and an ace while Choco Mucho pillar Maddie Madayag added 11 points with Mars Alba tossing 15 excellent sets.
WATCH: Choco Mucho’s Maddie Madayag, coach Dante Alinsunurin and Sisi Rondina after the win. #PVL2024 | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/U6aZgnddyX
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“Sobrang happy lang na very confident na maglaro ang team namin kasi nagugulat pa kami na nanalo kami. Sobrang laking tulong ni coach Dante and ni Sisi pagdating talaga nila,” Madayag said. “We’re just very happy and grateful to the Lord na dinala Niya kami ulit dito for another chance to get the championship.”
Thang Ponce guarded the floor with 19 excellent digs with Rondina adding nine excellent digs and seven excellent receptions to her performance.
READ: PVL: Mars Alba, Royse Tubino are Choco Mucho’s difference-makers
The Angels will be battling Chery Tiggo in the battle for bronze. Petro Gazz fell for the second time in the single round robin semifinals after also losing to Creamline last Thursday despite Brooke van Sickle’s 21 points from 19 attacks, a block and an ace.
Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Jonah Sabete contributed 14 points each. Pontillas got her points all from attacks as she also had nine excellent digs while Van Sickle had five excellent receptions. Djanel Cheng set up her teammates with 14 excellent sets.
Coming back from a frustrating first set by taking the next two, Choco Mucho made sure not to fall apart in the fourth frame by leading Petro Gazz, 21-18, with Rondina catching fire in the stretch.
Maizo-Pontillas tried to fight Rondina’’s fire with her fire to keep Petro Gazz within striking distance, 23-20. Molde, however, rose to the occasion scoring back-to-back points in the endgame to bring Choco Mucho to its much-awaited Finals return.
“Siguro [our edge was] yung gutom talaga. Gutom talaga yung Choco Mucho makakuha ng Finals o championship kasi ito na yung matagal na ring hinihintay ng mga players and kami rin na coaches na makuha yun,” Alinsunurin said.