Games today:
(Philsports Arena)
4 p.m. — PLDT vs Choco Mucho
6:30 p.m. — Galeries Tower vs Akari
After posting thrilling victories, Choco Mucho and Akari will go for the kill and claim the first two semifinal berths when they tackle separate foes in the quarterfinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference today at the Philsports Arena.
The Flying Titans face PLDT at 4 p.m. while the Chargers battle Galeries Tower at 6:30 p.m. for a chance to advance to the Last Four while pushing their foes on the brink of elimination in this prestigious women’s club tournament.
Choco Mucho’s rise on the verge of the semifinals had been dramatic.
After losing the first two sets, the Flying Titans mounted a fierce rally, forcing a decider before pulling off an emphatic performance to seal the heart-stopping 20-25, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20, 18-16 victory over a game PLDT squad in Game 1.
Sisi Rondina provided the spark, capping a 3-0 rally with a powerful cross-court kill to complete the come-from-behind win and prove that in there’s no such thing as safe lead in the high-stakes playoffs.
But Choco Mucho’s bench depth played a key role in the turnaround as head coach Dante Alinsunurin made a bold move, subbing in Mars Alba for Deanna Wong in the third set.
Alba, a former De La Salle University star, delivered a stellar 16-excellent set performance, along with three points, orchestrating the comeback with composure and precision.
“For me, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. When I stepped in for the third set, I told them, ‘Trust each other. We can do this,’” said Alba in Filipino, who faced her former F2 Logistics teammates Kim Dy, Kim Fajardo and Majoy Baron.
Choco Mucho’s offensive spark will be crucial in Game 2 as they seek to close out the series.
On the other side, PLDT must respond with greater consistency and mental toughness. Despite a 25-point performance and 19 excellent receptions from Savi Davison, the High Speed Hitters struggled to finish strong.
“I had some errors, especially in the fourth and third sets, that I need to clean up,” said Davison, who however stressed the need for more contributions across the board.
“Hopefully, in Game 2, more players step up and put points on the board.”
PLDT’s supporting cast — including Erika Santos, Fiola Ceballos and Majoy Baron — must rise to the occasion after faltering in the latter stages of Game 1.
Like Choco Mucho, Akari showed remarkable grit in their series’ opener win over Galeries Tower. After falling behind 1-2 in sets, the Chargers regrouped, dominated the fourth, and overpowered the Highrisers in the decider.
Former National University star Ivy Lacsina led the charge, matching her career-best 28-point performance, highlighted by 22 attacks and six kill blocks.
“We can’t afford to slow down just because we won Game 1. The job’s not done until we achieve our ultimate goal,” Lacsina said.
Akari’s depth, with key contributions from Eli Soyud, Grethcel Soltones, Fifi Sharma, Ezra Madrigal, Faith Nisperos, Camille Victoria and Steph Bustrillo, gives them an edge heading into Game 2.
Despite their inexperience, the Highrisers are not backing down. Jewel Encarnacion, who led Galeries Tower with 18 points, acknowledged their struggles in closing out tight sets but remains optimistic.
“Our coaches reminded us that despite the loss, we still pushed the game to five sets. We can’t let disappointment take over. We need to focus on the next game and fight for another chance,” Encarnacion said.
“We immediately decided to regroup, recover, and focus on the next game.”
“We just need to add more fire and not lose morale. It’s only the first game — our goal is to push for another match.”