With its key players unavailable due to national duties, Choco Mucho will have to make do with the players it has when it competes in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) on Tour.

Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin acknowledges the challenge of fielding a depleted roster but also sees their situation as an opportunity for his other wards to shine.

Lethal hitter Sisi Rondina won’t see action in the pre-season tournament to don the tricolors in beach volleyball alongside Creamline’s Bernadeth Pons.

The Flying Titans will also miss the services of starting setter Mars Alba and seventh overall pick in the recent Draft, Filipino-American playmaker Tia Andaya.

Choco Much welcomes the return of veteran middle blocker Maddie Madayag after her stint in the Japan V.League. However, the Flying Titans will have to wait a little longer to see the decorated frontliner back in purple as she joined Alba and Andaya in Alas Pilipinas’ tour of duty in the VTV Cup in Vietnam.

“For us, we just want to continue and play with the players that we have,” Alinsunurin said.

“We want to maximize the players that we have now, especially this PVL on Tour.”

Alinsunurin plans give his seldom-used pieces more minutes and allow rookies, 19th overall pick middle Kylene Villegas and undrafted opposite hitter Ayesha Juegos, time to jell and adapt to his system while showcasing what they could bring to the table for the Flying Titans.       

“We want to give the players who weren’t allowed enough minutes in the previous tournaments more time on the floor. It will also benefit us in the long run as they build their confidence heading into the Reinforced Conference (in October),” Alinsunurin said.

The Flying Titans will be tested today against revamped Galeries Tower and in a showdown with Nxled in Pool A tomorrow at the Batangas City Sports Center.

With Alba and Andaya out, fan favorite Deanna Wong will lead the playmaking duty with backup veteran setter Jem Ferrer.

Wingers skipper Des Cheng, Royse Tubino, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Mean Mendrez and Isa Molde are expected to carry much of the scoring load with Kat Tolentino still out indefinitely.

Choco Mucho still has a formidable frontline with veterans Chery Nunag and Aduke Ogunsanya along with sophomore Lorraine Pecana while 2024-2025 All-Filipino Conference Best Libero Thang Ponce and backup Bia General form a solid rotation on floor defense.