When Farm Fresh head coach Alessandro Lodi walked up to Choco Mucho libero Thang Ponce after the game, it wasn’t for a handshake or small talk.
It was out of concern.
Moments earlier, with the scores knotted at 18-all in the fourth set, Ponce went all-out for a rolling dive to keep the ball alive — a sequence that saw her hit her head hard on the floor.
But the Flying Titans’ defensive dynamo wasn’t about to stay down.
Ponce quickly got back on her feet, shook it off, and continued to anchor Choco Mucho’s floor defense as they battled through a tense finish to complete a 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 27-25 victory over Cignal in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Even without import Anyse Smith, the Flying Titans stood tall — and Ponce was at the heart of it all. The 5-foot-2 libero finished with a monster stat line of 32 excellent digs and 20 excellent receptions, holding the fort against a Super Spikers team packed with scorers.
(C) PVL Images
After the match, Lodi approached Ponce, checking on her and advising her to watch out for any symptoms of a possible head injury. It was a simple gesture, but one that spoke volumes.
“Oo nga, na-appreciate ko ‘yun. Parang hindi na siya iba — parang Pilipino na rin siya kung umano sa’kin. Thank you kay Coach Lodi, I appreciate the gesture,” said Ponce, smiling.
As it turns out, the two already had a friendly rapport. Both Choco Mucho and Farm Fresh train at GameVille Ball Park, often bumping into each other during practice hours.
“Nagkakausap kami before. After kasi namin mag-training, sila ‘yung next, so nagkakasalubungan kami ganun,” she added.
Still, what stood out most from Ponce’s performance wasn’t just her toughness, but her preparation.
“Nag-mindset na ako kagabi pa lang, at tsaka kanina pa lang. Pinanood ko rin talaga ‘yung game ni Eva (Chantava) nung nag-AVC siya. I guess maganda… Nag-prepare lang din ako, tsaka mindset,” she said.
And that mindset definitely showed — the kind that keeps the Flying Titans’ heart beating, even without an import on the floor.
