ZUS Coffee's growing arsenal was on full display anew, brushing aside Choco Mucho in straight sets, 25-20, 25-14, 25-23, on Saturday at the Batangas City Sports Center to become the first team to reach two wins in the PVL on Tour.
The Thunderbelles leaned on the full breadth of their roster, freely rotating players midway through sets and beyond without losing their rhythm. No matter who was on the floor, ZUS Coffee kept its foot on the gas, leaving the Flying Titans searching for answers.
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Its middle blockers once again imposed their will, with Riza Nogales spearheading the charge alongside rookie No. 4 pick Nicole Ong and fellow newcomer Zam Nolasco. The trio held fort at the net, giving ZUS Coffee a clear edge in the middle with a game-best 17 blocks.
The seamless blend of holdovers and new acquisitions continued to pay dividends for the Thunderbelles, whose revamped lineup has quickly developed chemistry in the preseason.
Balanced flavors
Not a single Thunderbelle reached double figures, but that only underscored how balanced ZUS Coffee's attack had become.
Chinnie Arroyo led the way with just nine points, while veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga and rookie middle blocker Nicole Ong chipped in eight apiece as the Thunderbelles spread the offense across the floor.
Newcomer Chenae Basarte also kept everyone involved with 12 excellent sets in her ZUS Coffee debut after sitting out Wednesday's opener in Ilagan.
"Hindi naman ata kumpleto 'yung mga teams pero kami, we're trying to practice our rotation. Marami kaming bago, marami kaming bagong positions, so we'd like to practice, get some playing time," said head coach Jerry Yee.
That depth was evident throughout as ZUS Coffee repeatedly broke the match open with scoring spurts, including a decisive 10-0 blitz early in the second set that left Choco Mucho chasing for the rest of the match.
The Flying Titans made one last stand in the third, stringing together five straight points to wipe out a 17-22 deficit. But the Thunderbelles quickly settled down after a players-only timeout, scoring four of the final five points, punctuated by AC Miner's match-ending block on Des Cheng.
Caitlin Viray topscored with 12 points and Cheng added 10 for Choco Mucho, while libero Thang Ponce finished with 19 digs and 16 excellent receptions in a losing effort as the Flying Titans absorbed a preseason-opening defeat.
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