Choco Mucho builds momentum for Play-In, clips ZUS Coffee
Published Mar 19, 2026 09:16 pm
At A Glance
- The Flying Titans had to grind it out early, escaping a tense extended first set before dropping a tight second. They regrouped in the third, reasserting control, then dominated the fourth to finish with a 4-5 record.
Choco Mucho wrapped up its prelims campaign in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference with a hard-fought 27-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-19 victory over ZUS Coffee at FilOil EcoOil Centre late Thursday.
The Flying Titans had to grind it out early, escaping a tense extended first set before dropping a tight second. They regrouped in the third, reasserting control, then dominated the fourth to finish with a 4-5 record.
Though falling short of a Top 4 target and currently sitting seventh, the win provides momentum heading into the Play-In stage, where they are likely to land in Group 2 alongside the sixth and 10th-ranked teams, including ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles – a squad they now hold a clear edge over.
After taking control in Set 3, Choco Mucho surged ahead in the fourth, winning seven of the first 10 points and stretching the lead to 16-7 at the second technical timeout, highlighted by Lorraine Pecaña’s emphatic block on Rachel Anne Daquis.
They kept the pressure on, with Deanna Wong firing an ace and Sisi Rondina adding a powerful hit to widen the gap. From there, the Flying Titans cruised, trading sideouts before Des Cheng took over with a cluster of hits.
At 20-9, Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin sent in Eya Laure for her first appearance, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. However, she had little time to settle in, managing a couple of backrow attempts that ultimately fell short.
ZUS Coffee showed grit by saving five match points, the last coming off a powerful hit from Chinnie Arroyo. That surge prompted Alinsunurin to call a timeout to halt the Thunderbelles’ momentum.
The move paid off, as Laure, rotating to the open spot, delivered the finishing touch with a smart off-speed shot that ZUS Coffee failed to recover, clinching the win in one hour and 54 minutes.
The Thunderbelles wound up 10th with a 1-8 record.
Wong earned Best Player of the Game honors after tallying 14 excellent sets on top of five points.
“Nag-usap lang kami and tried to find solutions to score and win the game,” she said of how they overcame a shaky start.
Showcasing her playmaking, Wong orchestrated a balanced attack as five Flying Titans scored in double figures. Rondina led the way with 18 points, followed by Kat Tolentino with 12, Lorraine Pecaña with 11, and Des Cheng and Maddie Madayag, who chipped in 10 markers apiece.
Despite her standout performance, Wong remained modest: “Tiwala lang sa isa’t isa since anyone can deliver anytime.”
Jovelyn Gonzaga and Thea Gagate paced ZUS Coffee with 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Riza Nogales and Arroyo contributed nine and eight points, respectively, and Cess Robles and Daquis added six and five points, respectively.