Up against her former F2 Logistics teammates and La Salle seniors, Mars Alba did not hesitate to showcase her signature swagger during Choco Mucho’s gutsy come-from-behind victory over PLDT in Game 1 of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals.
Alba, to the delight of the dominant 3,408 fans at the Philsports Arena, struck her signature pose after executing surprise 1-2 attacks in the fourth and fifth sets, injecting energy and confidence into the Flying Titans’ comeback bid.
The former UAAP Finals MVP replaced starting setter Deanna Wong at the start of the third frame and immediately made her presence felt — giving Choco Mucho the spark it needed to mount a huge comeback and fend off the High Speed Hitters despite facing a 0-2 deficit.
Alba said her confidence was boosted by facing familiar faces she was comfortable with, including former Cargo Movers Majoy Baron, Kianna Dy, and Kim Fajardo.
“Masaya kasi nakakalaban ko sila. Parang pag nag-angas ako feeling ko okay lang, hindi ako maba-bash,” said Alba, who made her signature pose twice in front of Baron.
(C) PVL Images
The 25-year-old playmaker shared that she had been regularly meeting up with her former teammates, even engaging in playful banter before their quarterfinals match-up.
“Inaano nila ako, ‘Oh, huwag mo galingan.’ Kidding aside, laro talaga, focus talaga. Pagka-laro focus talaga, walang Ate-Ate,” Alba said.
The 5-foot-6 former Best UAAP Setter tossed 16 excellent sets in the victory to go along with three points, powering the Flying Titans’s massive comeback win.
Alba credited her teammates for her impressive performance, emphasizing that she couldn’t have delivered such a strong showing without their support. She acknowledged their trust in her playmaking, as well as their relentless effort on the court, which allowed her to execute her game effectively.
“For me, siyempre hindi ko rin naman magagawa ‘yun without my teammates. Una palang pagpasok ko nung third set sabi ko, ‘Ates, tiwala lang. Tiwala sa isa’t isa kasi kaya naman eh.’ So, kailangan lang tibay sa loob ng court,” said Alba.
After an outstanding performance in Game 1, Alba feels determined to step up even further in Game 2 and help Choco Mucho secure the win to close out PLDT and advance to the semifinals.
“Ang pinaghahawakan lang namin, nandito na kami. Parang huwag na natin bitawan kasi sayang lang lahat nung pinaghirapan nung prelims kung dito lang bibitaw.”
