Greek Zoi Faki boosts Choco Mucho in PVL Reinforced Conference

Greece’s Zoi Faki has been tapped as the Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ foreign guest player for the upcoming PVL Reinforced Conference.–Photo from Zoi Faki’s Instagram

MANILA, Philippines — Greek outside spiker Zoi Faki will bolster Choco Mucho in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, which fires off on July 16.

The Flying Titans unveiled the 25-year-old Faki, who played in the US NCAA and club leagues in Greece, as their foreign guest player on Wednesday.

“Wing spikers are locked and loaded with power! Say hi to Zoi Faki who has the experience and strength to deliver the much-needed boost for the team,” Choco Mucho wrote.

READ: PVL: Dindin Santiago-Manabat ‘huge help’ for Choco Mucho

Faki fortifies the wing spiker rotation of Choco Mucho as she joins fellow newcomer Dindin Santiago-Manabat, who was released by Akari, and mainstays Isa Molde, Royse Tubino, Kat Tolentino, Mean Mendrez and Regine Arocha.

Last year’s All-Filipino Conference MVP Sisi Rondina and veteran middle blocker Cherry Nunag are still uncertain if they can play for the Flying Titans in the midseason conference as they will play for Alas Pilipinas in the FIVB Challenger Cup next week and SEA V.League in August.

Wing spikers are locked and loaded with power! Say hi to Zoi Faki who has the experience and strength to deliver the much-needed boost for the team.

Welcome to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans fam, Zoi Faki! 💜🙌#ChocoMucho #CMFT #TitanPride pic.twitter.com/PNzXkE38m8

— Choco Mucho Flying Titans (@CMFlyingTitans) June 26, 2024

Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin has a powerful and experienced 6-foot-1 hitter, who played for the University of Pittsburgh and San Diego University and experienced the Elite Eight with the Panthers three years ago.

Under Alinsunurin, the Flying Titans reached the All-Filipino Conference finals for two consecutive times but fell short of their sister team, Creamline Cool Smashers in both championship series.

READ: PVL: Choco Mucho, Alinsunurin hope to overcome stars’ absence

Choco Mucho will be parading a new look, two years after the last Reinforced Conference, where it placed seventh with a 3-5 record as ex-coach Oliver Almadro stepped down midway through the tournament.

Rondina was still playing beach volleyball for the national team then, while Odina Aliyeva of Uzbekistan was the Flying Titans’ import.

Five teams have revealed their imports with Capital1 bringing  Russian outside spiker Marina Tushova, Creamline banking on American spiker Erica Staunton, Chery Tiggo bringing back Khat Bell in the Philippines, and PLDT running it back with its previous Russian reinforcement Elena Samoilenko.

Choco Mucho can tap more players with the 11th pick and selection in the succeeding rounds in the PVL Rookie Draft on July 8 at Novotel.