Farm Fresh head coach Koji Tsuzurabara. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA — Champion tactician Koji Tsuzurabara, in his maiden conference with Farm Fresh, has guided the team to its first semifinals appearance in franchise history.
The breakthrough came in poetic fashion, as the Foxies took down the core of his former squad, Petro Gazz, now competing under the Nxled banner after the Angels took a leave of absence from the league.
Tsuzurabara and his wards ousted three-time PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle and company in straight sets, 25-17, 25-20, 25-19, in the play-in step-ladder of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday at the FilOil Centre in San Juan.
He won a PVL title with Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, Myla Pablo, Jules Tolentino, Bang Pineda, Djanel Cheng, Ranya Musa, Jellie Tempiatura, AA Adolfo, Nicole Tiamzon and Jonah Sabete-Escamillan in last year's 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference.
While the Japanese coach declined to comment on the win over the core of his former team, he praised the Foxies’ shift in mindset, noting that they remain “a tier below A-rank teams” such as Creamline and PLDT.
READ: PVL: Farm Fresh eliminates Nxled to claim semis berth for first time in franchise history
"No comment," said the veteran coach when asked if familiarity with Van Sickle and the others played a role in the win.
"My coaching started in January. Always, I said to the players, change your mind, change your heart. Little bit, step by step, they have changed their mind. So, [it resulted] into the game. Good game," he said.
"But we do [our] best, just best game. Because we are challenger. We are challenger," Tsuzurabara emphasized. "Other team, example, Creamline, PLDT, other team, always A-rank. Farm Fresh before A-B, C-rank. C-rank team. We are challenger. That's it."
Tsuzurabara has already set his sights on greater heights for the squad, which was only formed in 2023. "I want to make a — we must make a new history of Farm Fresh," he said.
They joined PLDT and Cignal in the next phase, which earlier qualified before the Holy Week break.
Semifinal action starts on Saturday, April 11, at the Mall of Asia Arena.