PVL: ZUS Coffee books quarterfinals berth with play-in sweep
ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the PVL All-Filipino Conference. –PVL PHOTO
ZUS Coffee completed its maiden voyage to the quarterfinals of the PVL All Filipino Conference anchored on a 25-22, 25-17, 18-25, 25-17 win over Capital1 at Philsports Arena on Thursday night.
Skipper Cloanne Mondoñedo and veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga put on the winning touches in the decisive set as they arranged a best-of-three duel with the Petro Gazz Angels in the next phase.
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“This is the first time for the franchise (to reach the quarterfinals). I’m super proud of my teammates. We knew they (Solar Spikers) would fight to the finish and we just gave our all,’’ said Mondoñedo, who steered their offense with 20 excellent sets while delivering six vicious attacks.
Thea Gagate served as the Thunderbelles’ defensive wall as this year’s top overall rookie pick tallied 13 points that went well with three blocks while Gonzaga scored most of her eight attacks in the crucial fourth.
“We had gone through a lot of difficulties just to be here. It was a great learning experience. I’m excited to be in the quarterfinals,’’ said Gagate.
ZUS Coffee Thunderbelle’s Thea Gagate against Capital1 Solar Spikers’ Leila Cruz during a PVL All-Filipino Conference play-in game. –PVL PHOTO
The Thunderbelles swept the three-team Pool B play-in by defeating the Cignal HD Spikers earlier and weathering an imminent storm being brewed by the Solar Spikers, who gained momentum after taking the third set.
Capital1 was on the verge of closing in the first set, but Leila Cruz misfired at the net after a long rally, an unforced error duplicated by Maria Lourdes Clemente-De Guzman in the ensuing play to serve the opening set to the Thunderbelles on a platter.
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Gaining leverage from a tight first set, ZUS Coffee seized control right away in Set 2, racing to a 15-9 advantage and reversing whatever backlash the Solar Spikers had in store.
Gagate’s protection was superb in forcing a lot of stops before Joan Narit, Chai Troncoso and Chinnie Arroyo fired multiple strikes prior to Gonzaga’s calculated drop shot on Capital1’s open floor.
Another measured Troncoso power tip on an open space sealed the second set for the Thunderbelles.
Gearing to close it out in straight sets, ZUS Coffee quickly clicked on all cylinders and went five up only to allow the Solar Spikers to charge back with Julia Ipac’s back-to-back attacks, leveling the count at 9.
Troncoso’s long drive sailed beyond the end line, handing the Solar Spikers a taste of the lead before both squads courageously fought on every deadlock prior to the ace of Alvarez and Kate Santiago’s miscue that put Capital1 three points ahead.
After Ipac’s down-the-line smash made it 21-18, Cruz hammered the Thunderbelles territory thrice in a row, sneaking their way out of immediate defeat.
“We need discipline and proper execution in higher level games such as the quarterfinals. We should lessen our errors and impose our will if we want to go deeper into these playoffs,’’ said ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee.,
Gonzaga went to work in the final set with Gagate’s pair of kill blocks extinguishing the last deadlock at 11 and bumping them ahead by two.
Gonzaga again scored off a broken play, Troncoso drilled a smash through the block and a Gagate ace widened the gap, 19-14, making life edgy for the Solar Spikers.
Then came Mondoñedo’s time to shine, her rainbow shot found the back row without any defender before the proficient setter drove in another kill followed by Narit’s hit off the block.
After Arroyo unleashed another bomb and Gonzaga delivered her final point, the Solar Spikers’ unceremonious attack error on the other end pegged the count.
