Hot spill

DASMARIÑAS, Cavite — Anna DeBeer made up for lost time — and then some.

After being sidelined in ZUS Coffee’s first outing due to ITC issues that postponed the debut of foreign reinforcements, DeBeer burst onto the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference scene in spectacular fashion, firing off a scintillating 37-point performance to power the Thunderbelles past the Chery Tiggo EV Crossovers, 25-15, 19-25, 25-20, 25-23, Saturday at the Dasmariñas Arena.

It was just a point shy of the mark set by Farm Fresh’s Eli Rousseaux, who erupted for 38 points in their four-set triumph over Nxled. Still, it was every bit as powerful and impactful — delivered through a dazzling variety of hits, none more electrifying than the final kill that sealed the one-hour, 52-minute victory, sending the packed crowd into a frenzy.

“It’s just awesome. I give all the credit to my teammates,” said DeBeer, a standout from the University of Louisville. “Since I arrived, they’ve been incredibly welcoming, and playing in front of a crowd like this — it doesn’t get much better.”

The match appeared headed for a deciding fifth set after the EV Crossovers bravely clawed back from three 10-point deficits — the last at 7-17 — narrowing the gap to just one on two occasions. The final push came on a powerful hit by Yuni Batista that saved a match point, making it 23-24.

But the Thunderbelles calmly received Seth Rodriguez’s serve, setting up DeBeer for the decisive kill — a fitting end to a thrilling contest.

Asked about the atmosphere, with the majority of the crowd rallying behind the Thunderbelles, the American outside hitter, who also finished with 14 excellent receptions, added: “Volleyball is a game of momentum, so having the crowd behind us really makes a difference. It’s amazing to play in an environment like this.”

With the victory, ZUS Coffee pulled even with Petro Gazz in Pool B standings after the Angels swept the Galeries Tower Highrisers last Thursday. The win was also a strong statement that the second-year squad is ready to contend with the league’s top-tier teams.

Middle blocker AC Miner backed up DeBeer with a solid 13-point performance, while Kate Santiago contributed seven points in a two-set stint. Fiola Ceballos added five points, with Riza Nogales and Thea Gagate chipping in four apiece with the latter also seeing action in the last two sets.

Jovelyn Gonzaga and Chinnie Arroyo rounded out the scoring with three points each.

With DeBeer leading the offensive charge, ZUS Coffee outgunned Chery Tiggo, 68–51, despite the Crossovers finishing with more blocks, 8–6.

Batista also turned in an impressive 22-point effort but couldn’t quite match DeBeer’s explosiveness. Ara Galang delivered 15 points, while Cess Robles added nine.

However, the PVL On Tour runners-up struggled to contain the Thunderbelles’ late-set surge, falling short despite a valiant comeback attempt late in the fourth.

Like Rousseaux, DeBeer was unstoppable, putting on a virtual hitting clinic in the opening set with a dynamic mix of power spikes, smart placements, and backrow attacks. Although she was momentarily slowed down in Set 2 by Chery Tiggo’s improved net defense, DeBeer returned with a vengeance in the crucial third and fourth sets, steering the Thunderbelles to their first win in the import-laced conference.