Choco Mucho’s impressive rally in the second set powered its four-set victory, eliminating F2 Logistics with a score of 19-25, 25-8, 25-17, 25-19, in the Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday night at the Philsports Arena.
The Flying Titans went on a red-hot 14-1 finishing blast in the second frame, sparking a significant turnaround after a slow start in the opener. This marked their seventh consecutive win of the tournament, tying them with Chery Tiggo for the second spot with identical 7-1 records.
“Buti na lang pagdating ng second set, third set, nakuha namin yung rhythm namin. Nakuha namin yung gusto naming mangyari sa loob ng court. Ayun, nakuha namin yung game,” said Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
Carrying the momentum from the second and third sets, the Flying Titans established a 15-7 advantage in the fourth set before the Cargo Movers traded blows, narrowing the lead to just four, 23-19.
Sisi Rondina unleashed a lethal backrow kill, putting Choco Mucho at match point, before Isa Molde hammered down an over-receive from F2 Logistics to seal the victory after an hour and 47 minutes of gameplay.
“Swerte pa rin dahil nakita namin na kahit sinong bunutin namin, kunin namin sa labas na nagdedeliver. Kaya nga sobrang ganda na yung ginagawa ng team namin kasi lahat mindset talaga is gusto manalo every game,” added Alinsunurin.
Rondina scored 21 points with 21 attacks, accompanied by 12 excellent receptions for the Flying Titans. The team, which suffered a four-set loss to Creamline at the beginning of the tournament, turned things around with the longest winning streak this conference.
Isa Molde contributed 13 points and 14 excellent receptions, while Kat Tolentino and Cherry Nunag added 10 points each in the victory.
Choco Mucho aims to maintain its unbeaten streak against PLDT on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at the Philsports Arena.
The Cargo Movers, with their third consecutive loss, slipped to a 4-5 record, bowing out of semifinal contention.
F2 Logistics faced a significant setback during the match as Jolina Dela Cruz, one of the team’s few bright spots in recent games, injured her left leg during the second set with Choco Mucho leading 18-15.
No player from the Cargo Movers reached double digits in scoring, with Aby Marano and Ivy Lacsina scoring nine and eight points, respectively.
F2 Logistics will attempt to break out of its slump against Chery Tiggo on Saturday, also at 6:00 p.m. at the same venue.
