By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Games Tuesday
4 p.m. – Nxled vs Creamline
6:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Cignal
The ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles ended their three-game losing streak after blanking the Capital1 Solar Spikers, 31-29, 25-15, 25-15, in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on January 25, 2025, at the Philsports Arena.
After dropping three close matches against Choco Mucho, Creamline, and Farm Fresh, the emerging franchise finally figured things out and vented its ire on the Solar Spikers to improve to a win-loss record of 3-4.
It wasn’t an easy opening campaign for the Thunderbelles after the Solar Spikers forced them to an intense marathon affair in the first set.
With both squads not folding to the pressure, the first frame reached more than 25 minutes, but it was ZUS Coffee that delivered the clutch hits to secure the momentum-boosting 1-0 lead.
Following the thrilling victory, ZUS Coffee completely dominated the matchup and went all out in the second set, courtesy of Chinnie Arroyo’s opening spark that featured four outside hits and back-to-back cross-court kills.
Picking up where Arroyo left off midway through the second were Chai Troncoso and Michelle Gamit Pascual who took turns in answering every Capital1 conversion.
However, it was ZUS Coffee’s floor defense that made the difference in the last two sets as they doubled their effort in digging the ball that prevented Capital1 from continuing their scoring spree.
Aside from their floor coverage, their much improved communication in the backline also helped them maintain their lead until the third and final set.
Arroyo spearheaded the ZUS Coffee rally with a game-high 15-point performance derived from 13 successful attacks alongside 12 excellent digs, a block, and a service ace.
Backstopping the all-around effort of Arroyo were Troncoso and Gamit who each delivered 12 points apiece for the Thunderbelles.
“Second and third sets ayun nag execute naman, nag tuloy tuloy lang sa trabaho,” said ZUS Coffee head coach Jerry Yee after the dominant win.
Chery Tiggo overcame a sluggish start with a commanding comeback, overpowering Farm Fresh in a critical PVL match to climb the rankings. (PVL Media)
Crossovers Climb PVL Rankings with Key Win
Chery Tiggo bounced back from an early stumble with a dominant display of power and class, securing a 21-25, 25-14, 25-17, 25-17 triumph over Farm Fresh in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference preliminaries on Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The victory marked the Crossovers’ fifth win against three losses, propelling them from seventh place to a tie for third with the undefeated Creamline Cool Smashers, both holding 14 points.
Chery Tiggo is now well-positioned in the race for rankings ahead of the qualifying round, where the No. 1 to No. 12 teams will face off in a top-vs-bottom format.
With a two-sets-to-one advantage and riding high on the energy of their dominant second and third set performances, the Crossovers maintained their momentum, surging to a 16-10 lead in the fourth.
Despite several spirited rallies from Farm Fresh, Chery Tiggo held firm and sealed the set – and the match – with a Joyme Cagande ace.
Cess Robles and Ara Galang led the charge for the Crossovers, delivering 21 and 20 points, respectively, while Cza Carandang excelled in the middle with 12 points. Shaya Adorador and Seth Rodriguez contributed solid support, adding seven and five points, respectively.
Setter Alina Bicar played a pivotal role, notching four points alongside 15 excellent sets to orchestrate Chery Tiggo’s offense. Despite the absence of injured libero Jen Nierva, Joahna Verdeflor stepped up defensively, recording 24 excellent digs and nine receptions to anchor the team’s backline.
On the other side, Trisha Tubu topped Farm Fresh’s scoring with 15 points. However, Jolina dela Cruz, who delivered a stellar 20-point performance against Nxled last week, struggled to find her rhythm and was limited to seven points.
Aly Bertolano, Rizza Cruz, Lorene Toring and Pierre Abellana combined for 24 points, but it wasn’t enough to counter the Crossovers’ balanced and overpowering attack as the Foxies dropped to 3-4.
The Crossovers displayed sheer dominance despite a shaky start in the first set, excelling across all departments. They outperformed their opponents in attacks (61-50), blocks (7-4), and service aces (6-2). Additionally, they capitalized on Farm Fresh’s errors, gaining 22 free points from unforced mistakes while conceding only 20 of their own.
Shaking off a disheartening loss in their previous outing – where they squandered a 2-0 set advantage against the Petro Gazz Angels – the Crossovers initially struggled in the opening set against the Foxies. Both teams engaged in a fierce battle of spurts and fast plays, but the Foxies eventually edged them out to take the set.
However, Chery Tiggo quickly regained their bearing, leaning on the combined firepower of Galang, Carandang and Robles. The trio dominated the next two sets with commanding performances and sealed the match with a strong finish in the fourth set.
For Farm Fresh, it was a tough defeat. The Foxies appeared poised for another victory after their impressive sweep of the Nxled Chameleons and their strong showing in the first set against the Crossovers.
However, the team faltered when it mattered most. Dela Cruz, who had shone in their previous match, struggled to sustain her form, and the rest of the squad fell short in providing the necessary support for Tubu.
In the pivotal third set, Chery Tiggo unleashed its offensive firepower, tallying 19 attack points compared to the Foxies’ 10. The one-sided set proved to be the turning point, with the Crossovers maintaining control and momentum through the remainder of the two-hour match.
