Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ Sisi Rondina during a PVL All-Filipino Conference game. –PVL PHOTO
Choco Mucho outlasted rising Capital1, 25-20, 26-24, 28-26, 25-9, for its second consecutive win in the PVL All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Sisi Rondina was all-around with a game-high 23 points, built around 17 attacks, four blocks and two aces. Her performance also featured 12 excellent digs and nine excellent receptions.
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“Somehow, we were still lucky today. It was really tough to secure this win because, in the second and third sets, we had to fight back from difficult situations,” said coach Dante Alinsunurin. “I just told my players to keep doing their work on the court.”
“Our floor defense, attacks, and blocking system improved,” he continued. “Even though we lost the third set, we dominated the fourth because our game plan finally clicked. We strengthened our serves, organized our blocking, and kept the momentum to take the fourth set.”
Royse Tubino contributed 12 points, all but one from attacks, and Dindin Manabat 11 points off the bench for the Flying Titans to improve to a 2-1 record. Thang Ponce was solid on the defense with 30 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions as Mars Alba tossed 16 excellent sets.
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The Solar Spikers presented a challenge for Choco Mucho like in the second set, the Flying Titans was in a 16-21 deficit before hiking a 10-3 run to take the set. It was the same story in the third frame with Capital1 leading by seven points but the Titans still tied the game to 26-all before Leila Cruz and Heather Guino-o hit back-to-back kills.
But that was all the toughness that Capital1 could muster and was buried in a 17-5 deficit—and it was all Choco Mucho wrote.
The Solar Spikers absorbed a 0-2 record as Cruz finished with 16 attack points, captain Jorelle Singh 12 points and Guino-o 11 points, three from aces, as well as 10 excellent digs and 15 excellent receptions.
Roma Doromal caught 17 excellent digs while Tolenada dished out 12 excellent sets.
Choco Mucho aims for a third-straight win against unbeaten Cignal on Thursday at PhilSports Arena while Capital1 continues its search for a first win against PLDT on Tuesday in the same Pasig City venue.