Capital1 has grown quite fond of going through wringers. Only this time, the Solar Spikers are learning how to script a winning final act.
After surviving one marathon against the Akari Chargers last Thursday, the Solar Spikers rallied from a pair of one-set deficits Tuesday before unleashing their best when it mattered most, turning back the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, 20-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-20, 15-8, in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Bella Belen once again took charge when the pressure peaked, firing six points in a blistering Capital1 finish that the Thunderbelles simply could not contain. Her late-game heroics powered the Solar Spikers to another hard-earned victory in a match that demanded patience, poise and the nerve to deliver when the margin for error had all but disappeared.
Belen delivered her third straight triple-double, exploding for a game-high 29 points on 25 attacks and four blocks while adding 16 excellent digs and 15 excellent receptions, following a career-best 35-point outburst against the Chargers.
With the victory, the Solar Spikers improved to a 2-1 record to claim solo fourth place in the standings, behind unbeaten Creamline, Nxled and Choco Mucho, all holding 2-0 slates. The loss, meanwhile, marked the second straight defeat for the Thunderbelles.
Down 1-2 in sets, Capital1 leaned on Pauline Gaston, who sparked a crucial 7-2 run in the fourth set to turn a 13-16 deficit into a 20-17 advantage. The Solar Spikers then held off the Thunderbelles’ late rally to force a deciding fifth set.
Set 5 unfolded in a back-and-forth battle before Belen and Vanie Gandler broke a tight 6-all count with a blistering 7-1 run, putting Capital1 firmly in control with a six-point cushion.
Belen sent an attack wide to give ZUS Coffee a brief reprieve, but Cherry Nunag answered with a running attack before Erika Santos sealed the two-hour, 12-minute victory with a cross-court hit.
“Well, a win is a win, and they're showing up every single day. A win is a win, and of course, we like to make it four or three (sets only). But we accept the challenge that we have to grow, and you have to always fight inside the court and make the chemistry come for this team,” said Capital1 head coach Jorge Souza De Brito.
“And I'm really happy. I'm proud of them because it's not easy. It's another comeback. We need to show up. But we are back here, and always good when you come here because you win. So it's okay,” he added.
Gandler finished with 12 points in three sets, while Santos also contributed 12 points. Nunag chipped in eight markers, while Shaya Adorador and Sydney Niegos added seven and six points, respectively.
Jasmine Nabor tallied 14 excellent sets, while Detdet Pepito anchored the floor defense with 23 excellent digs for the Solar Spikers, who will look to extend their winning streak to three games when they face the struggling PLDT High Speed Hitters on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
For ZUS Coffee, Zam Nolasco led the way with 15 points on 10 attacks and five blocks, while Jolina Del Cruz posted 14 points and 15 excellent receptions.
Jovelyn Gonzaga and AC Miner added 11 points apiece, while Riza Nogales contributed nine markers for the Thunderbelles, who will try to bounce back against the Cool Smashers on Saturday at 6 p.m.
For a team that has increasingly found itself drawn into five-set battles, the latest escape was about more than another victory. It was another test of character – and another sign that Capital1 is learning from the painful lessons of its own mistakes.
The Solar Spikers know all too well how quickly control can slip away. Last Oct. 20 in Cebu, they squandered a commanding 2-0 lead against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, suffering a heartbreaking five-set defeat after failing to finish what they had started.
That meltdown offered a costly reminder of what happens when a team loses its grip at the decisive moment. Against Akari, Capital1 found a way to survive another grueling five-setter. Against ZUS Coffee, it showed it could do so again, recovering from two separate setbacks before taking command in the fifth.
This time, there was no late unraveling. The Solar Spikers tightened their grip, raised their intensity and turned a tense showdown into a one-sided finish, outscoring the Thunderbelles decisively in the deciding set.
Capital1 may still have a penchant for making its games longer and more nerve-racking than necessary, but its last two outings have also revealed a growing ability to thrive under that pressure. The five-set itch remains; the encouraging development is that the Solar Spikers are getting better at scratching it without coming away empty-handed.
