Games Saturday
(Cebu)
4 p.m. – Nxled vs Cignal
6:30 p.m. – Capital1 vs Galeries Tower
Farm Fresh extended its win streak with a gritty 26-24, 13-25, 25-21, 25-19 victory over ZUS Coffee, halting the Thunderbelles’ two-game run in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, Dec. 5.
The Foxies showed resilience, bouncing back from a lopsided second-set loss to clinch the final two frames, securing their second consecutive win after back-to-back setbacks.
Trisha Tubu once again spearheaded Farm Fresh’s attack, delivering a stellar 28-point performance with a remarkable 48 percent attack efficiency. Her contributions were key in the Foxies’ stirring comeback in the opening set and their decisive stretch in the fourth.
Despite her standout play, Tubu emphasized the importance of teamwork.
“Nag-work ‘yung teamwork namin (Our teamwork worked),” said Tubu humbly after her fourth-straight double-digit performance. “May konting lapses, pero mabuti at naibalik namin ‘yung laro (There were some lapses, but thankfully, we were able to get our game back).”
After narrowly escaping with a win in the extended first set, Farm Fresh stumbled in the second, with ZUS Coffee capitalizing on defensive lapses to dominate with a 12-point romp.
However, the Foxies regrouped and showcased their mental toughness, edging out the Thunder belles in a tight third set before pulling away in the fourth.
The final frame was tightly contested early, tied at 13, before Farm Fresh launched a decisive run. Tubu, displaying her offensive versatility, scored three crucial points down the stretch, culminating in a powerful hit off a combination play to seal the one-hour, 52-minute victory.
Despite a 2-2 record that kept them tied with the Thunderbelles and the Akari Chargers for sixth, the Foxies are gaining momentum. Their recent wins, including a sweep of the Chargers last weekend, underlined their readiness to compete against tougher opponents.
The team now shifts focus to their upcoming showdown against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on Dec. 12, aiming to build on their newfound confidence and refine their game further.
Tubu, while proud of her performance, acknowledges areas for improvement.
“Madami din akong naging errors, kaya sa next games, sisikapin kong ma-lessen ‘yun (I also made a lot of errors, so in the next games, I’ll do my best to minimize them),” she said, specifically highlighting blocking as an area she aims to develop.
The heavy-serving Alyssa Bertolano provided strong support for Tubu with a solid 12-point performance, while Rizza Cruz added eight markers, and Caitlyn Viray chipped in five points.
For ZUS Coffee, Thea Gagate led the way with 16 points but encountered difficulties during the middle sets. Chinnie Arroyo and Jovelyn Gonzaga contributed 10 points each, while Michelle Gamit and Chai Troncoso pitched in with eight and five points, respectively.
Despite these efforts, the Thunderbelles saw their impressive three-game winning streak come to an abrupt end.
The Foxies showcased their dominance in scoring, outperforming the Thunderbelles in attacks (50-45) and blocks (8-5). This strong offensive and defensive display helped compensate for their somewhat erratic play, as they conceded 32 points on unforced errors compared to ZUS Coffee’s 24.
