Choco Mucho pulls off reverse sweep vs new-look Capital1 as landmark PVL season opens

MANILA (UPDATED) — Choco Mucho stunned the new-look Capital1 in reverse sweep fashion, 22-25, 18-25, 25-17, 25-20, 15-8, to kickstart the new Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season on Saturday at the SM Seaside Cebu Arena.

The Flying Titans tore down a 0-2 deficit, as well as an early 11-3 Capital1 lead in Set 4 to eventually complete their comeback in five sets.

“Siguro, in-accept nila ‘yung challenge ko after nung second set. Talagang nag-focus ako sa galit sa kanila. Sinabi ko sa kanila na ”di ko kailangan na magaling ka. Kailangan ko ‘yung team na gustong manalo,'” said coach Dante Alinsunurin during the postgame press conference. 

“Thankful ako sa naging response nila.”

It was all Choco Mucho which led in the decider, with Eya Laure and Sisi Rondina-Rosales anchoring their offense en route to a quick 8-3 gap.

Vanie Gandler’s back-to-back kills on a down-the-line crosscourt shot and a backrow hit pulled Capital1 within two, 9-7, but Rondina-Rosales was there with a personal three-point run built on a sharp crosscourt attack, a solo block on Cherry Nunag, and an into-the-block spike for a 12-7 cushion.

Laure put Choco Mucho on match point, 14-7, just as Gandler’s backrow attack went wide. Bella Belen’s block saved one match point, but Pia Abbu’s service error marked Choco Mucho’s first triumph in the Siklab series of the All-Filipino tournament.

It was a victorious homecoming for Rondina-Rosales, who hails from Compostela, Cebu, and fellow Cebuana Deanna Wong, who is from c

Rondina-Rosales tallied 12 points to complement Laure’s 22-point explosion, while also doing the work in the defense with 11 digs and 15 receptions.

On the other hand, despite having a 2-0 lead, the Jorge de Brito-coached squad could not complete the win.

MVPs Erika Santos and Gandler had 22 and 15 points, respectively, in their Capital1 debut, while Belen had 15 markers in the loss.