Choco Mucho underscored its playoff readiness with a straight-set victory over Chery Tiggo, 25-18, 25-23, 26-24, with its thrilling second-set comeback showcasing its toughness and firepower in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the City of Passi Arena in Iloilo on Saturday night.
The victory marked Choco Mucho’s eighth win against three losses, placing them in a tie with the Cignal HD Spikers and the PLDT High Speed Hitters. However, Cignal secured the No. 3 seed with a superior total points tally, while PLDT settled for No. 4, pushing the Flying Titans to the fifth spot.
Chery Tiggo, meanwhile, finished with a 5-6 record, tying with Farm Fresh and Akari. However, the Foxies and the Chargers edged them out in the tiebreak, claiming the No. 6 and No. 7 seeds, respectively.
As a result, Choco Mucho and Chery Tiggo will face off again in a crucial one-game qualifying round. In other matchups, No. 3 Cignal will battle Galeries Tower, while No. 4 PLDT takes on ZUS Coffee.
The Flying Titans’ upcoming rematch against the Crossovers in the knockout phase will test whether momentum can trump the unpredictability of do-or-die volleyball set to start on Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
At the top of the bracket, No. 1 Creamline will go up against No. 12 Nxled, while No. 2 Petro Gazz collides with Capital1. Rounding out the qualifying round, No. 6 Farm Fresh and No. 7 Akari will square off for a spot in the next phase.
Sisi Rondina spearheaded another Choco Mucho romp with 20 points, while Isa Molde shone with 15 points, Dindin Manabat added eight markers and Mars Alba, Royse Tubino and Cherry Nunag combined for 10 points in their one-hour and 36-minute victory.
“I told my players that no matter what happens, we need to win this game because it will be a huge help for us in the next round,” said Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin in Filipino.
“They responded well in the first set, but they became a bit complacent in the next two sets. Still, we managed to get the win, and I’m really thankful for their performance,” he added. “This is a big boost for the next round."
Rondina acknowledged that their effort remained consistent but emphasized the need for greater focus, saying in Filipino: “I’m really happy that even when we had moments of relaxation, we were able to bounce back quickly. However, that’s something we need to work on – making sure we don’t become complacent.”
Ara Galang paced Chery Tiggo with nine points while Cess Robles had eight markers, Pauline Gaston added seven points and Seth Rodriguez and Alina Bicar each scored three points.
While their dominance was evident throughout, it was the Flying Titans’ stunning comeback in the second frame that truly defined their resilience.
Trailing 19-22 after a crucial block on Tubino, the Flying Titans flipped the script with a spectacular 6-1 finishing kick with Rondina igniting the rally with a crosscourt missile and a through-the-block hit.
Nunag’s clutch kill block on Gaston tied the set at 22. A service ace from Alba and another Rondina strike pushed them ahead, leaving the Crossovers struggling for answers.
Despite a late point from Robles to stop the skid, Chery Tiggo failed to regain momentum. Shaya Adorador’s attempted equalizer ended in heartbreak as her attack found the net, allowing Choco Mucho to steal the set and seize a commanding 2-0 lead.
The drama and suspense of the second set carried over into the third, as Chery Tiggo refused to give up by fending off multiple match points and forcing an extension. However, when it mattered most, the Flying Titans rose to the occasion.
Rondina once again stepped up, unleashing a crucial kill to push Choco Mucho to match point. Moments later, Manabat redeemed herself from an earlier miscue, sealing the victory with a decisive shot.
The thrilling finish sent the predominantly Choco Mucho-supporting crowd into a frenzy, capping off an electrifying night at the City of Passi Arena.
Choco Mucho dominated Chery Tiggo in spikes, 45-26, despite an inconsistent performance that gifted the Crossovers 28 free points. The Flying Titans scored 22 points off Chery Tiggo’s miscues.
