IMPORT-less Choco Mucho reclaimed its discarded debut win by upending Cignal, 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 27-25, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down 21-23 in the fourth canto, the fan-favorites let Royse Tubino and Maddie Madayag loose with five of the set’s last seven points to complete a steep climb from a first-set hole.
A massive 32-dig, 20-reception double-double from Thang Ponce put Choco Mucho in the clear from Chantava and Alas Pilipinas ace Vanie Gandler.
Maddie Madayag delivered a two-way showing with an 18-piece built on 11 attacks, six blocks and an ace.
A pair of double-doubles from mainstay spikers Isa Molde (17 points and 13 digs) and Des Cheng (14 points and 12 receptions) also aided the winning cause.
The Flying Titans defied the odds twice by winning two games in import-laden play — albeit the first one now voided — without a foreign guest player.
The nullified opener had no imports at all for any team, but this time, the purple shirts overcame a tall order as Cignal was cleared to field its Greek winger Eva Chantava.
This, however, is expected to be the last all-Filipino game for Choco Mucho as 26-year-old American opposite hitter Marlee Smith confirmed to SPIN.ph that her documentary requirements will all be submitted before Thursday’s match against PLDT.
“It was just paperwork. We didn't want to risk having to leave but everything should be taken care of by Thursday so it will be okay," Smith said.
Poor reception for Cignal
Chantava had the roughest scoring debut yet among all the reinforcements with 10 points, behind Gandler's 15-point, 12-reception double-double.
Preseason MVP Erika Santos was also held to just seven points but atoned for it on floor defense with nine digs.
Handing out over a set's worth of faults with 28 unforced errors shot the Super Spikers' feet as it struggled to hold the fort from a set up in its Reinforced Conference opener.
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