Crippled Flying Titans seek 3rd straight triumph

Choco Mucho faces PLDT with a limp as it eyes a third straight win in the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Grizzled veteran Kat Tolentino will be unavailable indefinitely after undergoing surgery on her ruptured appendix, leaving the Flying Titans one weapon less in the main game at 6:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, sister teams Akari and Nxled battle in the curtain-raiser at 4 p.m.

Since suffering a four-set loss to defending champion Creamline last month, Choco Mucho has been on a roll beating Farm Fresh in five sets to end 2024 before pulling off an amazing reverse sweep over ZUS Coffee, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-9, last Saturday.

The Flying Titans are currently tied with Chery Tiggo at fifth to sixth place sporting an identical 4-3 win-loss record.

“Of course, we need to continue winning in our next games,” Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin said of his team’s mission to build momentum in the preliminary round of the six-month tournament.

However, Alinsunurin will need to pull a good game plan to fill the void left by Tolentino, who is averaging 11 points per outing.

“It’s important for us to be ready. But we will come into the game with a winning mindset,” Alinsunurin added.

Choco Mucho will lean on Sisi Rondina, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Isa Molde, rookie Lorraine Pecana and rejuvenated setter Deanna Wong to add the High Speed Hitters to its list of victims.

But bringing down PLT, which destroyed the Chargers in straight sets is easier said than done.

The High Speed Hitters are riding the momentum of their lopsided, 25-22, 25-16, 25-15, win over archrival Akari last Saturday in the PVL’s resumption of action after a long holiday break.

“Our mindset is simple: A new task, new team to prepare for, new homework and a new team to focus on,” PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said.

“We have a good momentum coming from a win.”

Filipino-Canadian Savi Davison, who had 15 points the last time out, leads the High Speed Hitters’ assault along with Majoy Baron, Erika Santos, Fiola Ceballos and Dell Palomata.

On the other hand, the Chargers seek to bounce back and improve their 3-4 slate.

Faith Nisperos, who was the lone bright spot in Akari’s last outing, will need the help of Ivy Lacina, Erika Raagas, Fifi Sharma and Ezra Madrigal with scorer Gretchel Soltones’ day-to-day status due to an injury.

The Chameleons get a seventh crack at capturing the elusive win and finally get into the win column.

Nxled suffered a straight-sets humiliation at the hands of Farm Fresh last Saturday.