Flying Titans rallies past Highrisers, secures 3rd straight victory

With a commanding 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 victory over Galeries Tower, Choco Mucho dispelled any doubts about its superiority in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semifinals on Thursday at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. It was the team’s third straight victory after an opening defeat.

After defeating the Cignal HD Spikers 3-0 in their previous match, the Flying Titans outplayed the Highrisers in the opening set, ran them to the ground in the second, and then recovered from an early deficit with a strong comeback in the third set. The victory lasted one hour and thirty-two minutes.

However, the lengthy vacation had little effect on the Flying Titans, who kept improving after losing to the Creamline Cool Smashers in four sets on October 15. With a 3-1 (win-loss) record, they are now tied for third place with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers and the PLDT High Speed Hitters.

Galeries Tower dropped their fourth consecutive game to level the score with Gerflor.

Regine Arocha took center stage in the absence of an injured Des Cheng and a few more teammates, scoring eight points and making her team’s debut in the season-ending conference of the Sports Vision-organized league. Sisi Rondina continued her streak of 16 points per game.

“Ginawa ko lang yung tinuturo sa training but I know madami pa akong kulang, madami din errors,” Arocha, who also tallied seven excellent receptions, tolde the media. “Pero gagalingan ko pa sa mga susunod na games at pagta-trabahuan ko pa sa training.”

“I told them that we needed to work hard, na ayusin ang galaw at kontrolado naman namin (ang laro),” Rondina added, completing an all-around effort with seven receptions and ten excellent digs.

Rondina was supported by Caitlin Viray, who scored 11 points, while Bea de Leon, who filled in for Maddie Madayag, scored 10 points.

In addition, Aduke Ogunsanya scored four points, and Deanna Wong, Kat Tolentino, and Maika Ortiz each contributed two points. In a balanced show of playmaking that involved everyone, Wong concluded with 14 excellent sets, and Thang Ponce contributed 17 excellent digs.

On the other side, Rap Aguilar finished with seven points, Ysa Jimenez and Norielle Ipac tied for five points, and Joy Doromal, Grazielle Bombita, and Audrey Paran each had four points for the Highrisers.