Mean Mendrez and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans celebrate during a game against Chery Tiggo in the PVL Reinforced Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Choco Mucho kept its PVL Reinforced Conference playoff bid alive after rediscovering its winning ways to escape Chery Tiggo, 25-16, 25-11, 23-25, 19-25, 15-12, on Tuesday at PhilSports Arena.
Halting their losing streak at two games, the Flying Titans trusted Me-an Mendrez who delivered with 18 points on 14 attacks, two blocks and a pair of aces.
“Sobrang happy ako sa naging performance kasi talagang kailangan namin manalo dito sa laro na ‘to. Sobrang thankful ako kasi binigay samin,” coach Dante Alinsunurin said. “Although, hindi [madali], talagang trinabaho din ng Chery Tiggo.”
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Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin, Zoi Faki and Mean Mendrez after regaining their winning ways. #PVL2024 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/IxLzRa5sOL
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) August 13, 2024
“Super laking bagay sa akin na pagkatiwalaan ng coaches and siyempre yung teammates ko na laging nandyan sa likod ko na feel na feel kong nakasuporta sila,” Mendrez said.
Dindin Santiago-Manabat remained consistent in her scoring duties with 17 points while Maddie Madayag added 11 points in a masterful defensive performance as the former Ateneo star accounted for four of Choco Mucho’s 13 total blocks.
Greek import Zoi Faki added 10 points from six attacks, three blocks and an ace. She also had nine excellent digs and eight excellent receptions while Deanna Wong set up her teammates with 19 excellent sets.
“It means even more for me to win in five [sets]. I think that was a great test, to prove to ourselves that we’ve been in the first round, in two games that we played in five and we lost,” Faki said.
It was an important win for the Flying Titans to keep themselves in the mix of the knockout quarterfinal round hopefuls as they scored just their second win in six games.
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Chery Tiggo gave everything it had to extend the game and even dominated the third and fourth frames and kept the deciding frame neck-and-neck early.
But Choco Mucho got its momentum back to suddenly gain a 12-5 lead behind the efforts of Mendrez and Madayag. The Crossovers somehow cut the deficit with Pauline Gaston guarding the net and Crossovers import Khat Bell firing at will.
But Mendrez and Santiago-Manabat were in their elements as they kept the Flying Titans afloat and did not allow the win to slip off their hands.
Bell delivered a game-high 25 points, all but one off kills, but it was not enough to stop Chery Tiggo to drop to a 4-2 card.
Gaston helped with 13 points, five of which from blocks, and Ara Galang added 10 points. Mary Rhose Dapol finished with eight points while also catching 11 excellent digs as Jasmine Nabor tossed 20 excellent sets.