ANTIPOLO — ZUS Coffee has its first franchise win in the PVL.
A nine-month wait ends for the Thunderbelles as they secured a breakthrough 19-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15 victory over NXLED on Tuesday at the Ynares Center.
READ: How time away from volleyball changed Jovelyn Gonzaga perspective
20 consecutive defeats defined a rough start to ZUS Coffee’s PVL tenure since making their league debut in the 2024 season as Strong Group Athletics.
A new era has dawned at ZUS Coffee as its new one-two punch in No. 1 pick Thea Gagate (16 points) and veteran spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga (23 points) blaze a momentum-shifting trail for the young, cellar-dwelling squad.
While ZUS Coffee ends its longstanding drought, Nxled’s own skid has now reached nine games since last season’s import-laden Reinforced Conference.
Trust the process
Enduring two winless conferences won't ever be easy, even for newcomers like the Thunderbelles.
Expectations might not be the highest this early into life in the PVL, but Gonzaga knows that it'll take a strong foundation of trust for the team to reap the fruits of its labor sooner than later.
"Gusto ko ibigay ‘yung kumpyansa and tiwala kasi once na mabuo ang kumpyanbsa nila, magiging maganda ‘yung performance ng team. So far, evident din kanina sa fourth set na nandun 'yung kumpyansa nila," Gonzaga said.
"Kaya as much as possible, ako, bilang isa sa mga [veterans], ‘yun ‘yung gusto kong i-instill sa kanila and again kailangan ko mag-step kasi naglolook-up sila sa'kin.
From here on out, just a touch more of experience and exposure will fortify a brewing winning culture for ZUS Coffee.
"‘Yung team kasi, galing na kay coach Jerry [Yee]. Kailangan talaga namin ng exposure. Experience and exposure na tuloy-tuloy pa na laro hangga't makapa namin, hangga't maging consistent kami, at hangga't magkaroon kami ng total na chemistry."
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