THE Premier Volleyball League marks its second week of eliminations with an exciting duel between title contenders Choco Mucho and Petro Gazz, both eyeing to secure a share of the lead with idle Chery Tiggo in the All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig today, Tuesday.
In their initial outings, the Flying Titans dominated the Nxled Chameleons 25-12, 25-22, 25-18 and the Angels comfortably defeated the Strong Group Athletics 25-12, 25-20, 25-12, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash of firepower and distinct playing styles at 6 p.m.
Choco Mucho, looking to build on its runner-up finish in the last AFC, relied on its seasoned players in the win over Nxled. But coach Dante Alinsunurin is expected to provide extended playing time to new recruits to maximize their potential.
Despite the absence of injured Deanna Wong, playmaker Mars Alba excelled with 18 excellent sets. New recruits Mean Mendrez and Royse Tubino had limited stints, finishing with just a point each but Sisi Rondina, Kat Tolentino and Isa Molde dished out stellar plays, scoring 17, 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Chery Nunag also shone in defense, producing five blocks for a 10-point performance.
The team, however, faced a setback with an injury to Aduke Ogunsanya but Maddie Madayag is likely to step up after a modest five-point output.
“Medyo malungkot dahil sa hanggang ngayon ‘di namin alam kung ano ‘yung nangyari kay Aduke. Basta importante sa amin ngayon, kailangan lang talaga i-check kung ano ‘yung gagawin,” said Alinsunurin.