MANILA — Exhibiting championship poise and seasoned prowess, Creamline showcased dominance against Choco Mucho in a thrilling four-set encounter (25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 25-22), moving one step closer to a potential Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference sweep.
The Cool Smashers, with six championships in 10 finals appearances, displayed an insurmountable level of experience, mirroring their flawless 2019 PVL Open campaign.
Coach Sherwin Meneses expressed satisfaction with the team effort, acknowledging the formidable challenge posed by Choco Mucho. As they gear up for Game 2, Meneses emphasized the need to stay focused and continue their hard work.
Alyssa Valdez played a pivotal role in a nail-biting third set comeback, while Michele Gumabao and Bernadette Pons orchestrated a stirring rally in the fourth.
The Cool Smashers relied on their championship mentality to secure crucial moments and frustrate Choco Mucho, making its first PVL finals appearance in eight conferences.
The team, elated by the victory, credited the fans and their supportive bosses. Despite the joy, the players recognize the need to continue working hard to achieve their goals.
Kyle Negrito’s stellar performance in her duel with Deanna Wong showcased the Cool Smashers’ strategic adaptability. The team’s resilience was evident as they faced a formidable opponent in a sibling matchup filled with spectacular plays and heightened drama.
Creamline, led by Valdez, Gumabao, and Negrito, celebrated not just a victory but a testament to their championship experience—a blend of skills, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of volleyball excellence.
The Cool Smashers now aim for the clincher in the upcoming match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday at 6 p.m.
(ai/mmm)
Games Thursday:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
4 p.m. – Chery Tiggo vs Cignal (3rd Place)
6 p.m. – Creamline vs Choco Mucho (Finals)
MANILA — Since joining the Premier Volleyball League in 2019, Choco Mucho has yet to secure a victory against sister team Creamline in their nine encounters.
However, for Sisi Rondina, a crucial component of the Flying Titans’ championship aspirations, conquering the Cool Smashers is within reach as long as unity prevails.
Rondina emphasized, “I repeatedly say, that success is achieved through hard work, genuine determination, perseverance, and a collective desire. If we truly want it, we can strengthen our resolve with patience and dedication.”
Entering the Second All-Filipino Conference Finals as heavy underdogs, Choco Mucho faces Creamline in a best-of-three series starting today, expecting a substantial crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The championship opener kicks off at 6 p.m., following the third-place series between Cignal and Chery Tiggo at 4 p.m.
As Finals debutants, the Flying Titans guarantee their first podium finish, contrasting with the seasoned Cool Smashers, who have reached the championship round 10 times, clinching victory in six instances.
Their lone meeting in the season-ending tournament saw Creamline prevailing over Choco Mucho, 25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 25-21.
Despite the setback, the Flying Titans bounced back with a 10-game winning streak before facing a semifinal challenge against the HD Spikers.
Choco Mucho ultimately secured victory, including a Tuesday night triumph over Cignal, setting the stage for their first-ever title duel with Creamline.
While the Cool Smashers maintained dominance with an unbeaten run in the preliminaries and a set-free semis sweep of the Crossovers, Rondina dismisses statistics, asserting, “Creamline never backs down, but we’ll showcase what we’ve learned, how we’ve improved, and what we’re capable of.”
Acknowledging the pivotal role of Deanna Wong, who has forged strong connections with Rondina and Kat Tolentino, the Flying Titans gear up for a challenging championship round against the formidable Cool Smashers.
Alyssa Valdez regained her form after an injury that sidelined her late last year. Bernadette Pons, Rondina’s erstwhile teammate in the national beach volleyball team, has proved to be a reliable hitter coming off the bench.
What’s amazing for the Cool Smashers is they reached this far even without Jia de Guzman and Ced Domingo, who are currently plying their wares overseas.
“We’ve been through a lot without ate Jia and Celine,” said Tots Carlos, one of the Creamline’s main offensive weapons. “But we’re pleased we’re here (in the Finals). Yung collective effort ng team maganda yung kinalabasan and also we’re just happy na si Kyle (Negrito) nag-step up din sa game and she knows what to do.”
“Masaya kami kasi pasok na kami sa Finals but yun nga. di pa dun nagtatapos one game at a time, one-point at a time,” she added.
(ai/mnm)
MANILA — Choco Mucho ensured there would be no repeat of the previous meltdown, sweeping Cignal 25-23, 25-22, 25-22, and forcing their semifinal series into a sudden-death match in the Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference held at the Philsports Arena yesterday.
In contrast to the opening game where they let a two-set lead slip away, the Flying Titans worked meticulously, relishing every point to even the best-of-three series at 1-1. The decisive Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday at the same Pasig venue.
Following a hectic 24 hours, during which he led Sta. Elena-NU to two victories in the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference, coach Dante Alinsunurin expressed satisfaction that the Choco Mucho team, which had won 10 consecutive games before the series-opening defeat, had shown up.
“We came here with the mindset of making up for our loss in Game 1,” said Alinsunurin. “The players truly delivered. They worked from the first point until the end of the game. There were some struggles on the court, but we were able to adjust, and I’m thankful that we secured Game 2,” he added.
Sisi Rondina shone with 23 points, including two blocks and eight receptions, while Kat Tolentino delivered her best performance of the season with 15 points, contributing two of the Flying Titans’ six blocks.
Determined to lead Choco Mucho to their first-ever Finals appearance since joining the league in 2019, Rondina emphasized the importance of unity to not only win the battle but also the war.
“I keep saying repeatedly that my mindset is always like we’re in a war, and I always say that we will win,” said Rondina.
Jovelyn Gonzaga, one of the HD Spikers’ heroes in Game 1, recorded 13 kills, 10 digs, and seven receptions. However, Gonzaga closed out the one-hour and 41-minute match with a service error, extinguishing hopes of another Cignal comeback.
Ces Molina added 11 points, while Riri Meneses contributed three blocks to finish with 11 points for the HD Spikers. Despite Rose Doria producing a match-best four blocks, the Flying Titans’ attacking prowess proved too much to handle.
(ai/mnm)
Standings W L
Creamline 7 0
Choco Mucho 7 1
Chery Tiggo 7 1
Cignal 6 3
PLDT 5 3
PetroGazz 5 4
Akari 4 4
F2 Logistics 4 5
Nxled 3 5
Farm Fresh 1 8
Galeries Tower 0 7
Gerflor 0 8
Games Thursday
(Philsports Arena)
2 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs Akari
4 p.m. – Creamline vs Nxled
6 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs PLDT
MANILA — Creamline and Choco Mucho are poised to clinch the first two semifinal berths in Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference matchups on Thursday at the Philsports Arena.
Currently holding the top two spots in the standings with impressive 7-0 and 7-1 records, the Cool Smashers and Flying Titans are well-positioned to secure places in the next round.
The afternoon clash features Creamline taking on also-ran Nxled at 4 p.m. A victory for the Cool Smashers, combined with a Choco Mucho win against PLDT in the 6 p.m. match, would leave two Final Four spots up for grabs.
While the Cool Smashers are favored to prevail against the Chameleons, the Flying Titans face a tougher challenge as the High-Speed Hitters are in must-win mode.
PLDT, currently in fifth place with a 5-3 slate, trails idle Cignal (6-3) by half a game in the race for the last semifinal slot.
Choco Mucho, riding a club-best seven-game winning streak, eliminated F2 Logistics with a thrilling 19-25, 25-8, 25-17, 25-19 victory on Tuesday.
Coach Dante Alinsunurin expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, especially after recovering from a first-set loss.
“Buti na lang pagdating ng second set, third set, nakuha namin yung rhythm namin. Nakuha namin yung gusto naming mangyari sa loob ng court. At nakuha namin yung game,” said Alinsunurin, whose squad has been undefeated since their loss to Creamline on October 15.
“Sa ngayon ano, talagang (ito) yung kailangan namin talaga. Medyo mahaba, kailangan talaga namin ma-practice lahat eh. Ang importante lahat kung ano yung pinapagawa namin sa first six, pati yung second six kailangan din gawin nila. Suwerte 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,” he added.
PLDT’s semifinal bid hit a snag after losing two in a row. The High-Speed Hitters dropped a 23-25, 21-25, 19-25 decision to the Cool Smashers in Cagayan de Oro last Saturday.
Akari, which at 4-4 cannot afford to drop matches to keep its slim Final Four hopes alive, plays winless Galeries Tower in the 2 p.m. curtain raiser.
(ai/mnm)
The Choco Mucho Flying Titans PVL PHOTO
Choco Mucho achieved a resounding victory as they swept Chery Tiggo, 25-20, 26-24, 25-15, to finish seventh in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, July 22.
The Flying Titans soared to success with a stellar performance from Caitlyn Viray, who showcased her improved form this conference by contributing an impressive 22 points.
Her powerful attacks, solid blocks, and precise service aces proved to be instrumental in securing the win. Additionally, Viray’s defensive prowess was on full display with eight excellent digs.
Supporting her was the dynamic Sisi Rondina, who chipped in with 15 points, nine digs, and six receptions, providing crucial assistance in sealing the victory.
On the other side, Mylene Paat led the charge for the Crossovers, delivering 15 points and five digs.
Despite their valiant efforts, Chery Tiggo settled for eighth place in the conference.
Choco Mucho’s remarkable performance in the match not only earned them a well-deserved seventh-place finish but also left a lasting impression on fans and competitors alike in the PVL Invitationals. (AI/MNM)
Games on July 11
(Philsports Arena)
9:30 p.m. – PetroGazz vs Farm Fresh
12 noon – Cignal vs Foton
4 p.m. – Akari vs Chery Tiggo
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs F2 Logistics
Choco Mucho took sole possession of the top spot in Pool B, while PLDT spoiled Faith Nisperos’ debut by sweeping Akari in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Centre yesterday.
Sisi Rondina continued to shine as the Flying Titans secured their second consecutive victory with a dominant 25-19, 25-19, 25-14 triumph over Foton.
Led by Dell Palomata’s outstanding performance, the High Speed Hitters defeated the Chargers 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 in the Pool A match.
In her second game for Choco Mucho, Rondina delivered an impressive performance, contributing 19 points with 15 successful attacks and three blocks, while also recording six digs. Cherry Nunag and Des Cheng added 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Cait Viray chipped in with seven points for the Flying Titans, who have yet to drop a set in the early stages of the conference.
Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance after two matches.
“We are extremely happy with the result,” said Alinsunurin. “With our victory today, we are gradually learning how to win because this is what we really want to achieve. It’s really a step-by-step process. We need to win and improve in each game. We want to execute all our training plans for the match. It’s important that our success rate increases with what we’re doing.”
Palomata displayed efficiency, landing 10 out of 20 spikes and contributing three blocks to finish as the match’s top scorer with 14 points. Jovie Prado added 13 points and nine digs, while Mich Morente recorded three service aces for an 11-point effort for PLDT.
Nisperos registered five points in her first professional game, but the Chargers failed to take advantage of the absence of key players from the High Speed Hitters, namely Mika Reyes (shoulder) and Mean Mendrez (knee).
“I’m very happy that we started off well and won,” said PLDT coach Rald Ricafort. “But there are still areas we need to work on, and we will prepare for our upcoming games during this VNL week.”
Royse Tubino, making her debut for the High Speed Hitters, contributed eight points, while Jessey de Leon, filling in for Reyes, made the most of her opportunity with eight points as well.
Despite missing some of the college standouts they were targeting, Ricafort remains optimistic about PLDT’s competitiveness.
“Although we weren’t able to recruit UAAP players, it’s very important that we acquired Royse [Tubino] because she fills in the gaps we need,” said Ricafort.
Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Trisha Genesis led Akari with 10 and nine points, respectively.
The Tornadoes, who now hold a 0-2 record in their group, kept the second set close before the Flying Titans pulled away and never looked back in the third.
Shaya Adorador led Foton with 10 kills, while Jaila Atienza contributed four of her eight points through blocks.
(ai/mnm)