GAMES TODAY
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. – Nxled vs Farm Fresh
6:30 p.m. – Capital1 vs ZUS Coffee
TURNING what could have been a non-bearing Play-In playdate into a moment of reckoning, ZUS Coffee is leaving everything on the floor – with only one mission in mind: beat Capital1 and win it convincingly.
A sweep or a four-set triumph would give the Thunderbelles the maximum three points, catapulting them to the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals – a breakthrough that seemed improbable weeks ago.
The Thunderbelles, now with a 1-0 slate (2 points) in Pool A of the two-group Play-In phase, set out for the 6:30 p.m. showdown at the Philsports Arena against the Solar Spikers, who bowed to the Cignal HD Spikers in four sets last Thursday and are already out of contention.
Eliminated Nxled and Farm Fresh clash in the 4 o’clock opener, seeking a measure of pride and a favorable finish in Pool B of the Play-In tournament.
A repeat of their straight-set win over the Solar Spikers in the preliminaries last Jan. 25 would be the ideal result for the Thunderbelles.
But what truly fuels their surge is not just their newfound rhythm – it’s the quiet, unconventional touch of head coach Jerry Yee, whose coaching style deviates from the usual mold of most volley tacticians but has proven effective in steering this young squad toward unexpected success.
“Masaya, masayang-masaya, ‘yunlang (Happy, very happy – that’s all),” said Yee when asked about their shocking five-set upset of Cignal last Tuesday. His deadpan response drew laughter from the media, but beneath his short remarks was a deeper philosophy.
“May konting frustration, kasisa fourth set, pwedena, eh hindinakuha. Peromabutikumapitnung fifth set, so masayana din (There’s a bit of frustration because we could’ve closed it out in the fourth set, but we missed the chance. Good thing we held on in the fifth set, so I’m happy in the end),” he added, highlighting the team’s growing resilience despite their lack of experience.
It was that very ability to rise to the challenge that defined their momentous win over the HD Spikers – a game that saw them blow a huge lead in the fourth set, only to regroup and outplay their more seasoned opponents in the decider.
Yee’s approach has always been different. Unlike most coaches who ride heavily on intense vocal instructions, he remains measured and composed even in pressure-packed moments. His preference for quiet observation over loud instructions has surprisingly worked wonders for the Thunderbelles, who have steadily built chemistry under his guidance.
“After we lost the fourth set, our coaches and ate Jove (Gonzaga) gathered us para mag-reset. They told us to forget the four sets, angimportante ‘yung Set 5 (Our coaches and ate Jov (Gonzaga) gathered us to reset. They told us to forget about the first four sets, what mattered was Set 5),” recalled Chai Troncoso, the team’s top scorer against her former team Cignal with 21 points, including the decisive final two hits.
