Farm Fresh staged a stirring comeback from a 1–2 set deficit, outlasting Choco Mucho in five sets, 21-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 15-9, to snap a two-game skid in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday night at the Filoil Centre.
Trisha Tubu imposed her will at the net, pouring in 22 points built on 16 attacks and two blocks, including a pair of crucial denials on Sisi Rondina in the closing stretch, to power the Foxies to the gritty victory that lifted them to a 3–4 record, tying them with the Flying Titans and Nxled in the standings.
“So ayun nga po, pang-ilang fifth set na namin ‘to, so always po na laging konti lang—I mean, hindi namin natatapos nang maganda talaga,” said Tubu, as the team had lost all their previous five-set matches against the Chameleons, Capital1, and PLDT this conference.
“So kanina po, tulad ng sinabi ni coach, hindi Choco Mucho yung kalaban namin. Kalaban niyo yung sarili niyo, utak niyo, puso niyo. So, ang kailangan gawin today is hindi manalo sa Choco [Mucho], kundi manalo sa sarili,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
Farm Fresh’s dominant showing in the fourth set set the stage for its decisive push in the fifth, where the Foxies unleashed a blistering 7–1 run, punctuated by Tubu’s emphatic rejections of Rondina, turning a slim 6–5 edge into a commanding 13–6 cushion.
Kat Tolentino broke the ice for the Flying Titans with a backrow hit that clipped the top of the net, but a costly miscommunication between Deanna Wong and Sisi Rondina handed Farm Fresh a 14–7 cushion and multiple match points.
Tolentino kept fighting, soaring above the net to reject former teammate Royse Tubino, and capitalized on Tubino’s next attack error to save two match points for Choco Mucho.
But it was Tubu who delivered the decisive blow, sealing the hard-fought victory for the Foxies after two hours and 12 grueling minutes.
“Always, my team loses in five sets, but today we are very happy. Before the game, I told my players that our opponent was ourselves and not Choco Mucho. This win is ours. This time, we thank the players and we also want to thank Choco Mucho,” said head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
Ces Molina delivered a complete performance to complement Tubu, contributing 17 points on 15 attacks, one ace, and one block, while anchoring the defense with 13 excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions.
Tubino, who entered off the bench before replacing Ara Galang in the starting lineup, proved a thorn in her former team’s side, finishing with 14 points and five excellent receptions. Riri Meneses added 10 points, rounding out the double-digit scorers for Farm Fresh.
Alohi Robins-Hardy finished with 22 excellent sets to go along with two points, while Maicah Larroza came through on the defensive end with 14 excellent digs.
The win was also a showcase of total team effort, as Rizza Cruz contributed five points, while Des Clemente-De Guzman, Jolina Dela Cruz, Lorene Toring, Mylene Paat, and Ara Galang each chipped in two points to support the Foxies’ balanced attack.
Farm Fresh looks to make it back-to-back wins against Creamline on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue.
(C) PVL Images
On the other hand, Rondina scored 22 points for Choco Mucho to go along with 11 excellent receptions, while Tolentino also registered 22 points on 16 attacks, five kill blocks, and one service ace.
Eya Laure, still limited by an abdominal strain, managed to contribute 15 points and eight excellent digs, making a significant impact despite her restrictions. Thang Ponce also made her mark with 20 excellent digs and 18 excellent receptions.
Maddie Madayag made her long-awaited return to the squad after missing the team’s first six games, contributing three points in her comeback.
Choco Mucho guns for a bounce-back win against PLDT on Saturday at 4 p.m.
