Choco Mucho setter Deanna Wong. Photo from PVL Media Bureau
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Choco Mucho bucked a slow start, overcoming a 0-2 set deficit en route to a 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-9 reverse sweep of Zus Coffee in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Veteran setter Deanna Wong was named Player of the Game in her return after tallying 10 excellent sets and seven points.
The former Ateneo star, who last played in August 2024, made her way to the taraflex again as she recovered from a nagging knee injury.
"Grateful po. Sabi nga ni coach [Dante Alinsunurin], team effort siya so hindi ko siya magagawa kung hindi sa effort din ng teammates ko," said Wong during the postgame press conference.
Zus Coffee quickly established a 2-0 set lead, and was on pace to a sweep as the young squad even led in the finishing moments of Set 3, 20-19.
But the Flying Titans turned the tide, uncorking a 4-0 rally which began with Sisi Rondina's hard crosscourt spike.
Lut Malaluan suffered an attack error, but Rondina negated it fast to reach set point, 24-21.
Thunderbelles leader Jov Gonzaga would score an off-the-block hit to keep the game running, but Gagate committed a service error to concede the set to the surging Flying Titans 25-22.
"Nung first two sets, talagang struggle kami sa timing namin sa ginagawa namin--opensa namin, depensa namin. Siguro pagdating nung third set, parang medyo gumanda 'yung galaw namin kasi kung ano 'yung gusto naming mangyari sa loob ng court, nakukuha na namin," said Alinsunurin.
From a 21-all deadlock in the fourth frame, it was star spiker Dindin Santiago-Manabat's time to hog the spotlight, firing three straight points to lift Choco Mucho. Then it was Alas Pilipinas' Cherry Nunag who closed out Set 4 with a sharp attack of her own.
READ: PVL: Deanna Wong to miss time for Choco Mucho, expected return in January 2025
In the clincher, it was all Choco Mucho-coded, as the eventual victors got a massive 9-1 head start and never looked back.
"And 'yun, sana magtuloy-tuloy 'yung ganung galawan namin, para mas umangat pa pagdating sa mga game namin," said Alinsunurin.
Choco Mucho takes on PLDT next, set to take place on Thursday, January 23, while Zus Coffee seeks to regain winning ways against Capital1 next Saturday, January 25.