Kat Tolentino saved Choco Mucho in her return, leading the Flying Titans to a thrilling 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 10-25, 16-14 victory that kept them alive in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference playoff hunt, Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Tolentino, who missed the team’s last two games due to health and safety protocols, finished with a game-high 27 points to go along with 22 excellent sets to keep the Flying Titans alive with a 2-3 win-loss record.
The 6-foot-2 opposite spiker brought the Flying Titans at match points with a down-the-line attack, 14-13, but Chin Basas managed to keep the High Speed Hitters alive by answering right back with a cross-court hit.
Pauline Gaston then brought the Rebisco-backed squad to match point once again before an attack error from Basas ended the cardiac fifth set.
“Well, that’s what I’m asking for from the team. Be the ‘never say die’ team in this league. You know naman kung saan kami nag-start, my players are not really a hundred percent in terms of condition but Kat [Tolentino] is a hundred percent in character,” said Choco Mucho head coach Oliver Almadro.
“Yun lang naman ang pinanghawakan ko. I’m also always telling Ponggay [Gaston] that it’s not about what you did at the first but what matters is she made the right point at the right time,” he added.
The Flying Titans were on their way to a sweep after sealing the first two matches but unfortunately, Basas and Mika Reyes had other things in mind as they went on a 3-0 spurt to put PLDT on the board.
It was a lopsided affair in the fourth frame with PLDT mounting a huge 14-1 rally to take a 23-9 advantage – its highest in the set, before sending the game to a do-or-die fifth frame.
Isa Molde scored 11 points for Choco Mucho while Cherry Nunag and Bea De Leon chipped in 10 points each in their first win since their debut.
Deanna Wong glued things together with 25 excellent sets to go along with three points while Denden Lazaro-Revilla was a beast on the floor with 23 excellent receptions and 22 excellent digs.
Tolentino, Nunag, Des Cheng, and Thang Ponce all played their first game since missing the team’s last two assignments.
On the other hand, Samonte and Basas each had 17 points while Dell Palomata had 16 points which included four kill blocks for PLDT, which dropped to 3-2 in the standings.
Rhea Dimaculangan had 27 excellent sets and five points while Kath Arado had 23 excellent digs. Fiolla Ceballos added eight markers, 11 digs, and 11 receptions.
The Flying Titans (6pts) must at least win in four sets against Petro Gazz and hope that either Creamline (9pts), PLDT (9pts), or Army-Black Mamba (9pts) lose in three or four sets during their final assignments to clinch a seat in the semifinals.
Choco Mucho will end the elimination round against the also-ran Petro Gazz on Saturday at 5:30 PM while PLDT will take on Cignal earlier that day at 2:30 PM.
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