The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Zus Coffee's hopes of entering the quarterfinals in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference are alive and well.
This, as the Thunderbelles overcame Cignal, 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12, on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Had the HD Spikers won, they would have proceeded to the next round and ousted Zus Coffee.
But the Chinnie Arroyo-led squad survived their rival tonight to enter the win column, grabbing a chance to take it all against Capital1 on Thursday.
A lot of heroes for Jerry Yee this time, but Arroyo stood out as she showcased her all-around game, dropping 20 points on 18 attacks and two service aces including 18 excellent receptions to earn Player of the Game honors.
"Masaya po kasi 'yung game namin na ito, magiging boost namin for Capital1," said Arroyo during the postgame interview.
Former HD Spiker Chai Troncoso was also there to deny her former team's outright playoff berth, joining Arroyo in the 20-point territory with 21 anchored on 15 attacks, four aces, and two blocks.
Star rookie Thea Gagate, in one of her best games, delivered 16 points including four blocks, while Michelle Gamit completed the supporting cast with 13.
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Their pathway to victory wasn't exactly easy as the Thunderbelles had to shrug off a meltdown in Set 4, where they led by as much as five, 20-15, on pace to a four-set triumph.
But Cignal's Vanie Gandler spearheaded a comeback, chiming in the last three points of her team to complete a 10-3 rally to force a winner-take-all chapter.
The gritty Cignal side even got a 6-3 headstart in the final frame, but it was the Thunderbelles' turn to come back into the match as they fired four unanswered points to steal the lead at 7-6.
READ: PVL: Cignal gets back on track, trounces Capital1 to inch closer to QF berth
Only a one-point ballgame at the 13-12 mark, Troncoso took matters into her own hands by unleashing back-to-back sharp spikes to put the HD Spikers to sleep and close out the match which lasted two hours and 42 minutes.
Gandler led Cignal's scoring with 23 points, while Ishie Lalongisip also had 16.
For Gandler and company, a Capital1 win over Zus Coffee in the next playdate would keep their tournament life as it would force a three-way tie at 1-1.