In just her second conference back playing indoor volleyball after four years at the sands, Sisi Rondina had already sparked change, growth, and improvement for Choco Mucho.
And with her exceptional talent, skills, and heart, the Cebuana pride was hailed as the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference MVP on Saturday night.
Although the Flying Titans fell short of forcing a rubber match against eventual champion Creamline, they still left it all on the court.
Choco Mucho succumbed in five thrilling sets, 25-22, 20-25, 27-29, 26-24, 12-15 in front of a new Philippine volleyball record crowd of 24,459 inside the historic SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The awarding was held after the match and there, Rondina offered her shining trophy of being the best player of the two-month-long conference to her teammates.
“Maraming salamat po sa pumunta rito para manood ng game namin. Wala naman po akong ibang masabi kundi maraming, maraming salamat kina Sir Jonathan (Ng), Rebisco management. Salamat po sa inyong lahat,” said the 5-foot-6 high-flying spiker on her MVP speech.
“Hindi man po namin nakuha yung gold ngayon, pero itong award para sa team po namin,” she continued.
In Game 2 of the Finals, Rondina unloaded 33 points on 29 attacks, three blocks, and an ace – a PVL Finals record for most points by a local in a championship game.
The University of Santo Tomas legend also deflected the credit of her MVP award to head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
“Kung may MVP man po, ito po ay para kay Coach Dante. Nagpapasalamat po talaga kami sa kanya dahil sa sistema at programa niya,” said Rondina on the man that lifted Choco Mucho to its first-ever podium finish -– a silver.
Alinsunurin had just led National University-Sta. Elena to the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference title a day before PVL Finals Game 2.
He himself then said that Rondina possessed the makings of an MVP since the first day she joined the once-podium outsiders.
And with that dedication, she deserves all the love and praise she’s getting.
“Umpisa pa lang talaga yun yung gusto niyang mangyari yung makatulong sa team kaya naman talagang inaccept niya yung offer namin sa kanya sa Choco Mucho,” said the first-year mentor of the Flying Titans.
“Talagang mapakita niya yung skills niya sa volleyball and actually hindi lang naman score ang tinutulong samin ni Sisi eh, the way siya mag training everyday, yung mindset niya talaga yung team namin is nahahawa talaga kaya sobrang thankful ako sa ginagawa niya na kahit may nararamdaman siya, sinasabi niya, ‘Coach hanggat kaya ko, lalaban at lalaban ako.'”
Rondina was the league’s leading scorer after the semifinals round with 236 points on an efficient spiking rate of 36.98 percent, good for third.
She was also the second-best receiver with a 38.67 percent efficiency; sixth-best digger with 2.33 digs per set; ninth-best server with 0.20 aces per frame.
