The 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference marks a fresh start for Farm Fresh, and under the guidance of Coach Benson Bocboc, the team has exceeded expectations.
With two wins in the first half of the tournament, the Foxies have already surpassed their best performance in the league's first five conferences, where their highest tally was three wins in an entire season.
After the holiday break, with six more games to play, Farm Fresh is showing promising signs of growth. The team is poised to make an impact in the second half of the conference, fueled by new energy and determination.
For Trisha Tubu, a former PVL Best Opposite Spiker, the change in leadership has been both challenging and motivating. The team has gone through several coaching transitions, starting with Jerry Yee during their first three conferences in the PVL. This was followed by Japanese tactician Shota Sato for the 2024 Reinforced and Invitational conferences.
With Bocboc now at the helm, Tubu sees the ongoing transition as an opportunity to learn and grow as a team.
"Actually, challenge po siya sa akin saka at the same time masaya kasi yun nga yung challenge yun nga dun kami mag-go-grow," Tubu shared after their final game of 2024 on December 12. "I mean iba na naman ang system, challenge kung paano kami magre-recruit, tapos may mga bagong players, masaya yung challenge kasi yun nga po, tulong-tulong din naman kami dun sa bawat part namin, and yung challenge dun is yung progress."
Tubu has certainly been at the forefront of the Foxies' offensive attack this season. One of her standout performances came in a thrilling match against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, where she erupted for a remarkable 31 points. Although Farm Fresh fell short in a five-set battle, the fight they displayed—especially in the fourth set, when they mounted a comeback to force a fifth set—was a testament to their resilience.
"Tulad po ng sabi ni Coach Boc, masaya din po siya kasi hindi po kami basta-basta bumigay. Kasi fourth set, talo na po dapat kami, nahabol namin, kaya masaya din po. At the same time, yung nga din po, natalo. Na-push po namin yung sarili namin talaga para gumalaw, para makuha yung fourth set," Tubu reflected on their 2-3 record to end the year.
Despite their moral victory in that match, the Foxies are not content to settle for close calls. They know that improvement is key, and they are determined to use the break to refine their game.
Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Farm Fresh will face some of the toughest teams in the league, starting with a match against Nxled on January 18. The team will also face formidable opponents like Chery Tiggo, Galeries Tower, PLDT, Creamline, and Capital1.
Additionally, Farm Fresh will be at full strength as the new year begins with the long-awaited return of three key players: Rachel Daquis, Jheck Dionela, and Lorene Toring. Their presence will bolster the team’s lineup and provide an added boost to the Foxies’ campaign.
"Siguro po yung ano, hindi kami bumibigay kahit malayo na yung score, may mga times na malayo na yung score namin, pero nahahabol pa kami. Siguro yun yung maturity – kahit ano mangyari, wag basta-basta. Yung error namin, sobrang dami namin error, 30 plus yata. So yung i-work talaga namin sa bakasyon," Tubu added.
