By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Choco Mucho outlasted Cignal in a thriller of a rubber match, 25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, for its first-ever finals appearance in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City Tuesday night, Dec. 12.
The Flying Titans rode the momentum of a 25-23, 25-22, 25-22 win in Game 2 last Saturday, Dec. 9, to prevail in their best-of-three semifinal series and arrange a championship series with the Creamline Cool Smashers.
The top-seeded Cool Smashers advanced to the finals undefeated after sweeping the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in their own semis series.
Game 1 of the finals will be on Thursday, Dec. 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Sisi Rondina and Kat Tolentino anchored Choco Mucho anew, coming through with clutch hits that finally took the fight out of the HD Spikers.
The high-flying Rondina erupted for 21 points while Tolentino pumped in 17 points, as the deadly duo conspired for 36 attacks.
Clinching the championship berth for the first time was a feat itself for Choco Mucho, which endured a couple of seventh-place finishes in the last three conferences.
“We’re just really grateful na nakapasok kami sa championship. Step by step, pinaghirapan namin ito. Hopefully we’ll reach our goal,” said an emotional Deanna Wong, who worked the ball well and distributed 24 excellent sets to her spikers.
“You can see that this team is very determined,” said Tolentino. “This team has gone through a lot, and we’re excited to play in the finals because we still have so much to offer.
Choco Mucho held its ground against the challenges from Cignal especially in the fourth set where the HD Spikers trimmed their 22-19 deficit to 22-21.
Both teams exchanged points on errors until Tolentino’s crosscourt kill gave Choco Mucho the matchpoint advantage, 24-22.
Vanie Gandler briefly breathed life to Cignal with an off-the-block spike, but her next attack went wide, handing Choco Mucho the victory.
Maddie Madayag and Nunag also starred for the Flying Titans with 12 points apiece while Isa Molde chipped in 10 points.
Gandler and Ces Molina scored 20 and 19 points for the HD Spikers, who took Game 1, 18-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-19, 15-10.
