Choco Mucho guns for PVL finals spot
BOUND to conquer greater feats, Choco Mucho eyes to book their finals ticket, but the Flying Titans have to brace for Petro Gazz’s revenge game in the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2024 All-Filipino Conference at the Araneta Coliseum today, May 5.
Choco Mucho guns for PVL finals spot
Being a different beast now, Choco Mucho took down their previous finals tormentor Creamline in a five-set thriller, 13-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-16, to snap its 12-game skid from the defending champions.
After this historic and momentous victory, Choco Mucho quickly dispatched Chery Tiggo, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23, and took the upper hand in the semis standings with a 2-0 record.
Earning back-to-back wins in the semifinals, coach Dante Alinsunurin said that there is no room for complacency for his squad, most especially when they face the No. 1 seed in the preliminaries Petro Gazz.
“There is no assurance yet [for a finals slot], what is important for us is every game. Our mindset begins in our training, and we think ahead of what we want and what we want to achieve this conference. We can’t be comfortable with a 2-0 advantage in the semis, then be defeated in our third game,” Alinsunurin told the press after their game versus Chery Tiggo.
While Petro Gazz took a 1-1 card from a win against Chery Tiggo and a loss over Creamline.
The Angels lost to the Cool Smashers in a tight four-setter match, 25-27, 25-23, 25-27, 24-26, despite the 22 point-outing each of Brooke Van Sickle and Jonah Sabete.
With Petro Gazz pleading for better officiating after a controversial call in the third set where the Angels could take the 2-1 set advantage against the Cool Smashers, Petro Gazz with no challenges left had to concede to first referee Bobby Celso’s call of ball touch on Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, despite Maizo-Pontillas’ protest that there was no ball touch.
Fueled to bounce back into their next game, Choco Mucho needs to be ready for the win-hungry Petro Gazz at 6 p.m.
At 4 p.m., Chery Tiggo (0-2) seeks redemption as they will face Creamline (1-1).
Chery Tiggo took two consecutive beatdowns from the hands of Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho.
With the Crossovers breaking Creamline’s 19-game winning streak in the preliminaries, Chery Tiggo eyes to recreate this once again to take its first-ever win in the semis.
But the Crossovers will have to give their all as the defending champion Creamline learned its lesson and vows to make another finals appearance in the league.