Choco Mucho lost control late in the fourth frame it dominated but saved two set points and pulled through with a tough 19-25, 25-21, 25-15, 28-26 victory over Motolite to keep its hot charge going in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
Kat Tolentino scored back-to-back hits that made it 22-21 for Choco Mucho in the fourth then after scrambling and surviving two set points, she soared from the side for a power hit that the Motolite defenders had failed to keep in play, securing the victory for the Flying Titans.
Though the league’s newcomers hardly improved to sixth place at 6-6, they moved just within striking distance of joint third running Motolite, which dropped to 7-5 with BanKo-Perlas, with Pacific Town Army at fifth with a 6-5 and Air Force just right behind Choco Mucho at 5-6 heading to what looms to be wild, wooly chase for the last three semifinal berths in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
In the second game PetroGazz picked up its seventh straight win with a 25-21, 25-14, 25-12 romp over winless Chef’s Classics, firming up its hold of second spot and its semifinal bid at 8-2.
Cherry Nunag fired away 10 hits, including four kill blocks and two aces, to power the soaring Angels to a fourth straight shutout victory.
The luckless Red Spikers fell to 0-14.
Defending champion Creamline is a cinch to clinch the first Final Four berth with an 11-0 slate.
After fighting back from an opening set setback and wresting control with an imposing performance in the fourth, the Flying Titans seized the initiative early in the fourth, 9-4. But Motolite refused to give up and fought back behind Isa Molde and Tots Carlos, grabbing the upperhand at 23-22 on a Jessma Ramos’ off speed hit that slipped through the arms of a Choco Mucho defender.
The jump-serving Carlos, however, slammed her shot into the net and Choco Mucho lived through a couple of set points on a kill block off Molde and the latter’s attack error before regaining the lead on a Carlos’ long serve and the victory on that Tolentino hit.
While Choco Mucho kept its surge from a 2-6 card, Motolite suffered its third straight setback since nipping the Flying Titans in a thriller of a five-setter last Sept. 15.
Grace Masangkay dished out another superb playmaking chores while Bang Pineda provided solid backup with 30 excellent digs and 19 receptions to help anchor the Flying Titans’ crucial win.
