By CARLO ANOLIN
The Choco Mucho Flying Titans remained undefeated in five games after beating the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders, 25-23, 23-25, 25-15, 25-21, in the 2021 PVL Open Conference Friday at the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte.
Trailing 22-18 in the fourth set, BaliPure put up a fight by scoring three straight points but Choco Mucho returned the favor with a 3-0 run of its own capped by Kat Tolentino’s down the line hit for the win.
But the night belonged to Chery Tiggo which unmasked erstwhile unbeaten and fancied Creamline, 25-18, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20.
The Crossovers failed to wrap it up in three as they crumbled and blew a six-point bulge late in the set in the face of the Cool Smashers’ torrid endgame charge.
But they came out of the fourth stronger and better, establishing control at 8-4 and holding sway to the finish while pouncing on their rivals’ miscues to clinch the victory and enhance their semis bid.
Chery Tiggo thus improved to 4-2 – thanks to the efforts of Jaja Santiago, Dindin Manabat,Mylene Paat, Shaya Adorador, Arianne Layug and Jasmine Nabor
Tolentino led Choco Mucho with 25 points on top of 23 kills while Bea De Leon added 10 points. Ponggay Gaston’s eight of nine markers came from kills while Maddie Madayag chipped in eight.
Denden Lazaro-Revilla, for her part, showed who’s boss on securing floor defense with 31 excellent digs and 10 receptions.
In the other game, the Petro Gazz Angels downed the Perlas Spikers, 25-17, 25-18, 25-16, for a 4-1 record.
Tied 8-all in the third set, Petro Gazz uncorked a 9-1 run capped by Myla Pablo’s block for a 17-9 lead and never looked back.
But it was Gretchel Soltones who set the momentum for the Angels, scoring three of her five service aces in that momentous run.
Soltones led the Angels with 17 points, 11 coming from kills, and a block while Ria Meneses fired 15 points and scored 10 of the team’s 13 block points.
Pablo added nine markers with three service aces while Ces Molina chipped in six kills and a block to haul eight points.
