Lorraine Pecaña’s rookie season in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) has been a testament to her perseverance.

Once an unheralded pick in the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft in 2024, where Choco Mucho selected her 11th overall, the former Arellano standout has worked tirelessly to prove her worth.

Pecaña’s campaign in the PVL All-Filipino Conference took a challenging turn in February when she suffered a right ankle sprain during a match against Akari. The injury sidelined her for two games, making her road to recovery a difficult one.

Limited minutes and a rigorous rehabilitation process tested Pecaña’s resolve, but she refused to let setbacks define her season.

When she finally returned to action, she made her presence felt.

In the Flying Titans’ crucial quarterfinals-clinching win over Chery Tiggo, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23, Pecaña delivered six points, proving her readiness to step up when it mattered most. Through the ups and downs of her rookie season, she held onto the belief that Choco Mucho’s faith in her was not misplaced.

“Just like I said before, I always carry with me the trust that coach [Dante Alinsunurin] gave me when he recruited me because he didn’t know me back then,” Pecaña shared.

“It’s like, we had no prior connection, but he chose me and trusted me during the drafting. He just saw me, picked me up, and said, ‘Join the team.’”

After a month-long wait, the rising rookie is eager to contribute as the Flying Titans set their sights on the quarterfinals.

“The coaches and my teammates believe in me, and I’ll carry that confidence into every game.”

“For us, every match counts. Our hard work in the eliminations won’t mean anything if we don’t fight now,” she added.

As Choco Mucho charges into the postseason, Pecaña is ready to embrace the challenge, determined to make her mark on Flying Titans’ playoff run.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to return because I missed two games due to injury. What was on my mind was whether I could come back right away. I just pushed through it and trained hard,” Pecaña said.

“I wanted to show it in the game because if I can do it in training, why not in an actual match?”

Choco Mucho has now secured the fourth quarterfinal spot in the PVL All-Filipino Conference, which will start on 15 March.