MANILA – Choco Mucho Flying Titans ousted PLDT High Speed Hitters with a tight 25-15, 12-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-13 victory in Game 2 of the PVL 2nd All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals on Thursday night at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Marionne Alba stood out with 22 excellent sets and seven points for the Flying Titans, which secured their place in the single-round robin semifinals round by sweeping the best-of-three quarterfinals series at 2-0.
“I’m incredibly happy. Kudos to my teammates. It’s amazing. We started from the bottom, and now we’re in the semifinals,” Alba expressed during her Player of the Game interview.
“I didn’t expect Coach Dante (Alinsunurin) to assign me as a spiker, but I’m willing to do whatever helps the team,” added the former setter of the De La Salle University Lady Spikers.
After PLDT leveled the score at 11-all in the latter part of the fifth set, the High Speed Hitters committed consecutive errors from Kim Fajardo and Kim Dy, allowing the Flying Titans to take a 13-11 lead.
PLDT managed to tie the match once more at 13-all with attacks from Savannah Davison, but Choco Mucho sealed the victory with points from Alba and Cherry Rondina.
Rondina top-scored for the Flying Titans with 21 points, including 18 attacks, two service aces, and one block, while Honey Royce Tubino added 15 points.
Davison led the High Speed Hitters with 34 points, featuring 33 attacks, while Mary Joy Baron, Erika Santos, and Fiola Ceballos scored 17, 13, and 11 points, respectively.
Meanwhile, Akari Power Chargers battled back from a set down to eliminate the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 19-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 15-12, in Game 2 their separate series.
Christine Joy “Eli” Soyud finished with 20 points, on 18 attacks, one block, and a service ace, to be named Player of the Game as the Power Chargers wrapped up the best-of-three series at 2-0./PN
