After years of heartbreak, Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin believes that the Flying Titans are finally ready to take the next step in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
Coming off a heartbreaking five-set loss to F2 Logistics, the Flying Titans made sure to take care of business against Petro Gazz in another thrilling five-setter, with a score of 25-22, 25-15, 22-25, 18-25, 15-10, at the Philsports Arena on Saturday night.
“Sobrang laking tulong sa amin ‘yung nangyari sa last game namin,” said Alinsunurin, as the Rebisco-backed squad had the chance to close out the Cargo Movers in four sets last Tuesday.
“Although, syempre, ‘yung team naman namin, sabi ko nga, nagsisimula pa lang kami. Unti-unti naming ini-establish ‘yung Choco Mucho dito sa PVL.”
Choco Mucho almost lost its grip on another crucial game as the Angels rallied from a 0-2 set deficit to force a fifth frame. Not wanting to repeat the same mistake twice, the Flying Titans mustered all their strength to fend off a gritty Petro Gazz side and score their third win in four outings.
“Hindi naman kami nagmamadali pero ‘yun nga, sa sitwasyon na ‘to, kailangan talaga naming unti-unting magparamdam sa ibang teams na ang Choco Mucho ay unti-unti nang umaangat in terms of skills and ‘ano, kung ano ‘man yung gusto naming gawin sa loob ng court. Ganun lang,” said Alinsunurin.
“Sabi ko lang sa kanila ‘yung disiplina namin sa court. Kasi nung third set, nung nag-fourth set ‘yung disiplina namin sa loob, sobrang nagsabog-sabog talaga yung depensa namin, yung block namin. Sabi ko nga sa kanila nung fifth set bago mag-start, kailangan ‘yung disiplina namin nandoon,” he added.
Ever since their fourth-place finish in the 2021 Open Conference in the Ilocos Norte bubble, Choco Mucho has spiraled down, finishing in sixth place in last year’s Invitationals before suffering back-to-back seventh-place finishes in the 2022 Reinforced Conference and 2023 All-Filipino Conference.
Alinsunurin, who just joined the team last conference, said that Sisi Rondina’s arrival to the Flying Titans has played a big part in their resurgence this conference.
Aside from her exploits inside the court, the former national team head coach said that the energy that Rondina brings in the team’s practices has elevated the entire team’s play.
“Alam mo, mula nung dumating sa amin si Sisi [Rondina], talaga training pa lang ‘yung impact niya sa team, sobrang nadadala ‘yung team e. Mapa-practice, mapa-lahat ‘e,” said Alinsunurin.
“Kaya sobrang thankful ako na Choco Mucho ‘yung pinili niya dito ngayon, tinutulungan [niya] kami sa programa namin sa Choco Mucho. Sana continue pa kung ano ‘yung dapat nating gawin tapos higitan mo pa ‘yung mga numero mo ngayon.”
Choco Mucho has the chance to surpass its seventh-place finishes in the past two conferences and advance to the semifinals when they take on Cignal on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. at the same venue.
