Defense-oriented Flying Titans clip Lady Realtors

Ponggay Gaston (right) delivers for Choco Mucho with eight hits. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

ILOCOS NORTE—Choco Mucho roared to a second straight victory by putting its feared blocking to great use, scoring a 25-17, 25-22, 25-20 win over Sta. Lucia in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra on Friday.

With the towering troika of Bea de Leon, Kat Tolentino and Maddie Madayag on the firing and defensive ends and Ponggay Gaston stepping up her attack in the third, the Flying Titans flourished all game while pouncing on the Lady Realtors’ mishits and miscues in the last two sets.

The victory was far more impressive than their four-set triumph over the PLDT Power Hitters last Wednesday with the young squad anchored on former Ateneo stalwarts looking forward to delivering more imposing results in their determined bid to contend for the crown in the country’s first-ever pro volley league.

“Every game is a must-win. Every game we should be learning toward the next games,” said Choco Mucho coach Oliver Almadro. “And this win is big since it’s a single round (eliminations) and Sta. Lucia is one of the contenders.”

The Lady Realtors reeled to a third setback against a lone win as the team groped for form all game with top hitters MJ Philips and Jonah Sabete failing to convert on their attacks and ending up with just seven and nine points, respectively.

But it was more of Choco Mucho’s intimidating presence on the net that forced the duo to alter their attacks on each flight, with Philips missing on her target twice with Choco Mucho just ahead, 21-20, in the second frame.
Tolentino emerged as the lone player to score in twin figures in only the third straight-set win posted in 12 games, finishing with 18 points, while Gaston turned in an eight-hit game, the bulk of which she scored in the third.