Maddie Madayag starred as Choco Mucho gave head coach Dante Alinsunurin a winning debut, beating Akari in three sets, 25-15, 25-20, 25-20 in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
In her first start after almost two years, Madayag fired 11 points on nine attacks, an ace, and a block to lead the Flying Titans, who had a total of four double-digit scorers in the match.
“Sobrang saya sa naging panalo namin. Sobrang thankful din ako sa players ko and coaching staff na nagtulong tulong para makuha namin yung game na yun,” said Alinsunurin, who scored his first-ever win in the women’s professional league.
Kat Tolentino and Bea De Leon each had 11 markers as well in Choco Mucho’s debut win while Isa Molde added 10. Des Cheng chipped in seven markers, 14 excellent receptions, and nine excellent digs.
Deanna Wong dished 21 excellent sets to go along with three points while Denden Lazaro-Revilla collected 14 digs and nine receptions.
“Sobrang saya talaga, hanggang ngayon kinikilabutan pa rin ako kasi first time kong nanalo sa PVL kaya sobrang ramdam na ramdam ko pa yung pagkapanalo namin,” he added.
The Flying Titans led by as much as 10 points, 23-13, after a Madayag running attack before Cheng put on the finishing touches to help her side take a quick 1-0 advantage over the Chargers.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair in the second set with Akari eventually taking a slim 14-16 advantage. However, that proved to be it as Madayag and Molde anchored a 9-2 blast to turn the two-point deficit to a 23-18 lead.
Molde and Genesis traded attacks before Wong ended the second set with a 1-2 play.
In the final set, Madayag hammered five points in a 7-2 blast that helped the Flying Titans turn a 13-14 deficit into a 20-15 advantage.
Jho Maraguinot and Dindin Santiago-Manabat tried to keep their side afloat, exchanging attacks with Choco Mucho before Tolentino delivered an off-the-block hit to push the Rebisco-backed squad at match point, 24-19.
Santiago-Manabat saved a point with a cross-court hit but Tolentino answered with a down-the-line hit to finish the match.
The former Chery Tiggo star tallied 17 points in her first game as a Charger while Janine Marciano had 12 markers.
Choco Mucho will next face Petro Gazz on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre while Akari looks to bounce back against F2 Logistics on Saturday at Philsports Arena.
