Deanna Wong played as if she had never left, steering Choco Mucho back onto the winning track in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Saturday night.
Wong, who last saw action in August during the Reinforced Conference, had been sidelined due to a nagging injury that also forced her to miss the first half of the All-Filipino Conference elimination round.
The 26-year-old playmaker made her much-anticipated return for the Flying Titans in their first match since the tournament’s resumption, orchestrating a thrilling come-from-behind five-set victory over ZUS Coffee, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-9, at the Philsports Arena.
“Grateful po. Sabi nga ni coach, team effort siya, so hindi ko siya magagawa kung hindi sa effort din ng teammates ko,” said Wong after playing her first game in nearly five months.
Wong delivered 10 excellent sets, complemented by four attacks, two blocks, and one ace, tallying seven crucial points in the victory. The win lifted Choco Mucho to solo sixth place with a 4-3 record.
(C) PVL Images
Despite feeling some jitters, the former Ateneo standout noted that her long layoff didn’t significantly hinder her adjustment, attributing her smooth comeback to her chemistry with the team.
“Medyo kabado, nilalamig po ako kanina. Kung ano pong ibigay na role nila coach, tiwala lang (sa) pinagte-training namin sa practice,” said Wong.
“Siguro nung una nag-alalay pa pero I think also it’s because matagal na kasi kami magkasama so kahit nawala ako ng ganun katagal, nababalik din naman pagbalik ko sa training so hindi ganun kahirap,” she added.
Reflecting on the team’s struggles, Wong emphasized the importance of patience and trusting the process, underscoring the need to remain united and focused on their goals.
“I think it’s normal for a team to have their ups and downs. Lahat kami naging patient. It came to a point na parang we needed to regroup and we needed talk to each other, so ‘yun ginawa namin,” said Wong.
“Paunti-onti nababalik namin ‘yung galaw namin as a team. Alam namin sa sarili na sa amin ‘yung problem so kami din makakapag-solusyon dun.”
