By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles’ cinderella run in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will still be on full display after booking the last quarterfinal ticket in the upcoming All-Filipino Conference playoffs.
Needing only a single win to claim the seat, the emerging Thunderbelles took care of their business against the Capital1 Solar Spikers during the last set of PVL Play-In games, 25-22, 25-17, 18-25, 25-17, on March 13, 2025, at the Philsports Arena.
Their undefeated record in the PVL Play-In stage marked their first-ever appearance in the playoffs since entering the league, a result that saw all the players, coaching staff, and the management reap the fruits of their labor.
Without a doubt, that upset win over the veteran-laden Cignal HD Spikers squad in their first Play-In match boosted their confidence and helped them gain the momentum that they needed.
Armed with enough in-court adjustments backstopped with a newfound player rotation that fits their system, ZUS Coffee just ran over Capital1 in the first two sets to take a commanding 2-0 advantage.
Glaudine Troncoso spearheaded the early ZUS Coffee offensive rampage as the seasoned spiker exposed Capital1’s loose floor coverage with her down-the-line hits.
On the defensive end, it was top rookie sensation Thea Gagate who anchored the middle as she swatted away two Capital1 spikes that would’ve pulled them to within a point in the opening set.
Just when the Thunderbelles thought that their two-way consistency was enough to reward them with a sweeping win, the Solar Spikers woke up just in time in the third and received a solid outing from Julia Ipac.
Ipac sparked Capital1 midway through the third as she found ways to let the ball pass through ZUS Coffee’s middle blockers, helping them salvage a set and force a fourth period.
However, the Thunderbelles unleashed one final run, kicked off by Cloanne Mondoñedo’s stellar playmaking who fed Troncoso and Chinnie Arroyo for an early six-point lead.
Despite Ipac’s answers, ZUS Coffee’s more balanced attack steered them to the biggest lead of the fourth set after Gagate scored an off-the-block kill.
“We got the game, so I am very happy and thankful sa lahat ng players who gave their all. Marami pang i-wo-work on pero sa ngayon happy muna kami,” said Thunderbelles head coach Jerry Yee after the breakthrough win.
Troncoso top-scored the Thunderbelles with 15 points built from 12 successful attacks alongside 17 excellent receptions while Gagate added 13 markers and four big blocks.
Mondoñedo orchestrated ZUS Coffee’s offensive executions to perfection, as the setter dished out 24 excellent sets alongside six points.
With the Play-In sweep, ZUS Coffee just set up a quarterfinal clash against the Petro Gazz Angels on March 18, 2025, in the second scheduled game of the PVL playoffs doubleheader.
