RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL – With American reinforcement Anna DeBeer forced to sit out, ZUS Coffee maximized what it had and leaned on a balanced team effort to outlast Akari in the opening game of the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference on Tuesday night.
The Thunderbelles had six players scoring in double figures as they rallied from a 1-2 deficit to turn back the Chargers, 24-26, 25-23, 17-25, 26-24, 15-7, at the Ynares Center Montalban here.
The match, however, took place under unusual circumstances as both squads were missing their foreign reinforcements.
Rookie middle blocker AC Miner, who stepped up in ZUS Coffee’s crucial fourth-set escape, said the team simply accepted the situation and focused on controlling what they could.
“Siguro kami, we played the hand we were dealt with lang naman. Patas, walang reinforcement pareho,” said Miner, who finished with 10 points in the Pool B win.
“Laro lang din even if nag-prepare kami with Anna (DeBeer), though maganda pa rin sana if andyan siya [at] kompleto kami. Pero we just played today and ginawa yung best namin,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
Both DeBeer and Akari’s Annie Michem were unavailable as the Philippine National Volleyball Federation has yet to endorse the International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) required for foreign players to suit up.
Capital1 and Choco Mucho are also competing without their respective imports as of press time.
The ITC delay has further affected several Filipino-American players, including Choco Mucho’s Tia Andaya, who opted to sit out their match against the Solar Spikers. The same with Petro Gazz’s Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips, who have yet to receive clearance from the federation.
“Nagpa-practice naman kami ng connection with the setter, kaming mga middles. I think masasabi ko lang we did a good job today ako kahit medyo sa dulo ako gumana. Thankful pa din kasi nag-work lahat para makaabot ng fourth and fifth set,” Miner said.
Veteran libero Alyssa Eroa, meanwhile, noted that the Thunderbelles were already used to competing without an import, having built their chemistry earlier this year during the PVL On Tour.
“Same lang kay AC, wala namang pinagkaiba kasi going back sa last conference, kami din naman yung magkakasama sa loob ng court,” said Eroa, who tallied 22 excellent digs en route to Player of the Game honors.
