PVL: Sisi Rondina admits tougher road back to finals for Choco Mucho

Sisi Rondina.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning MVP Sisi Rondina admitted that Choco Mucho has to earn its way back to the finals as a tougher 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference awaits starting Tuesday at Philsports Arena.

Rondina made waves in her first PVL season last year as she emerged as the All-Filipino Conference MVP and led the Flying Titans to their first-ever Finals, where they got swept by unbeaten sister team, Creamline Cool Smashers.

The hard-hitting spiker from Cebu is not setting any expectations, believing it will be harder for them this season after other teams bolstered their respective rosters and Strong Group Athletics and Capital1 joined the fray to maintain a 12-team field.

“Anything can happen. We can’t really tell how the conference will go,”Rondina told reporters in Filipino during the PVL press conference on Wednesday at Discovery Suites.

But expect Rondina and the Flying Titans to work harder and continue mastering the system of coach Dante Alinsunurin to sustain their momentum last season.

“But we will make sure that we’re going to work hard and show what coach Dante has been teaching us,” she said. “We’re going to show the result of what we’ve been training for.”

The former UAAP MVP out of the University of Santo Tomas hopes that she has fully adjusted to the pros after her first season last year, coming from a three-year stint as a full-time Philippine women’s beach volleyball team member.

“I’ve been more focused on improving my weakness which is reception so I hope I’ll be able to show how much I’ve improved,” Rondina said.

Rondina will be leading their new members Mean Mendrez, Royse Tubino, Mars Alba, and Bia General with mainstays Maddie Madayag, Kat Tolentino, Isa Molde, Deanna Wong, Cherry Nunag, and Thang Ponce.

She also wishes all the best for her former teammates Bea De Leon and Denden Lazaro-Revilla, who transferred to Creamline, and new Farm Fresh player  Caitlin Viray.

“I’m happy for them because I think they will achieve more growth with their new team. I’m sad to see them go but it’s okay because I know that they’re happy with the choice they made,” Rondina said.

Choco Mucho opens its campaign against Nxled on Thursday next week at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.