In a stunning turn of events, ZUS Coffee defied expectations and thundered past a heavily favored Petro Gazz squad, essaying a shocking 25-21, 25-23, 27-25 victory in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday night.
The win catapulted the Thunderbelles to the brink of a historic semifinal appearance, rewriting the script against a team steeped in championship experience.
Displaying maturity beyond their years – an ironic contrast to their more experienced rivals – the Thunderbelles held their nerve and outlasted the Angels in a pulsating, tension-filled extended third set to secure the dramatic one-hour, 35-minute victory. The stunning win gave them a crucial 1-0 advantage in their best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Rising star Chinnie Arroyo fearlessly matched up against the formidable Brooke Van Sickle in a gripping power showdown at the tail end of the third frame, delivering two clutch kills against Van Sickle’s three. The Petro Gazz ace tied the score at 24 with a ferocious attack, and the Angels briefly took the lead after a rare Chai Troncoso miscue.
But just when it mattered most, the ever-reliable Jovelyn Gonzaga took charge. The veteran leader first forced an extension with a crucial block touch against Myla Pablo, who in the ensuing play, misfired on a crosscourt attack, handing ZUS Coffee the edge.
Seizing the moment, Gonzaga sealed the deal with a well-timed solo block off Pablo, sending the Thunderbelles into a frenzied celebration as if they had just won the championship.
At the rate this underdog squad is playing, that might not be such a far-fetched idea.
“It must’ve been a good morning,” said Michelle Gamit in jest when asked if she had coffee for breakfast.
Turning serious, the game’s best player – who finished with 10 points, including six attacks, two blocks, and two aces – credited the team’s unwavering drive.
“Everyone wanted to win, and thank God, all our hard work in training paid off,” she said in Filipino.
Indeed, the victory was a collective effort. On any other night, the best player could have been Gonzaga, Arroyo, Troncoso, or Thea Gagate. But what mattered most was that ZUS Coffee, once an overlooked squad, is now emerging as the biggest revelation in this record-setting six-month conference organized by Sports Vision.
With minimal guidance from coach Jerry Yee, they relied on their chemistry, honed through late preliminary and qualifying rounds.
Troncoso led the charge for ZUS Coffee with 14 points, while Gonzaga and Gagate contributed 11 apiece and Arroyo finished with 10 markers as the Thunderbelles battled the Angels to a deadlock in the spiking department with 45 attacks each.
However, it was ZUS Coffee’s dominance at the net that made the difference. Troncoso anchored the defense with five kill blocks, while Gagate added three, propelling the team to a total of 11 blocks against Petro Gazz’s five.
Van Sickle delivered a game-high 18 points, with Pablo adding 14 markers. While Van Sickle turned up the heat late in the match, Pablo struggled under pressure, committing two costly errors down the stretch.
Veteran Aiza Pontillas chipped in seven points, but the Angels will need to make major adjustments in Game Two on Saturday if they hope to counter ZUS Coffee’s surging momentum and disrupt the Thunderbelles’ winning formula.
Despite Petro Gazz’s reputation as a two-time Reinforced Conference champion with extensive playoff experience, ZUS Coffee showcased undeniable chemistry and unwavering determination. With minimal guidance from coach Jerry Yee, the Thunderbelles relied on their cohesion, built through the latter stages of the preliminaries and qualifiers, to pull off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
Gonzaga and Troncoso provided both firepower and composure, while rising stars Gagate, Gamit and Arroyo delivered crucial contributions.
At the heart of it all was Cloanne Mondonedo, whose masterful playmaking (19 excellent sets) kept Petro Gazz on its heels, dismantling their defense and exposing vulnerabilities from all angles – on the wings, at the net, and from the backrow.
Gagate credited the team’s turnaround to open communication and resilience, emphasizing that their early struggles only strengthened their resolve. With this breakthrough victory, ZUS Coffee has not only shaken up the league hierarchy but also moved one step closer to an unprecedented semis appearance.
In a duel of momentum swings in the first set, the Thunderbelles delivered the decisive run, closing with a stirring 10-5 surge to steal the frame and seize the early advantage.
Arroyo anchored ZUS Coffee’s surprising display of composure against the Angels, sealing the four-point reversal with back-to-back block-breaking hits.
Petro Gazz took control early, as expected, but ZUS Coffee found its rhythm and strung together four unanswered points, punctuated by a sharp crosscourt attack from Gonzaga that gave the young, inexperienced squad a 15-11 lead.
However, the Angels regrouped after a brief huddle and fired back with five straight points, capped by an MJ Phillips quick attack, reclaiming the lead after the second technical timeout.
The Thunderbelles, though, had other plans.
Troncoso and Gamit followed suit with key hits, countering a solitary score from Van Sickle. Despite a brief lapse when Troncoso’s attack error allowed the Angels to close in at 18-21, ZUS Coffee remained composed. Troncoso responded with a well-placed hit, and two crucial Petro Gazz miscues widened the gap. Arroyo then delivered the finishing blows, expertly set up by Mondonedo, leaving the Angels stunned as the set slipped away.
Despite Petro Gazz dominating the spiking battle, 17-13, ZUS Coffee capitalized on its rival’s inconsistencies, scoring seven points off unforced errors while committing just two of their own. The Thunderbelles also showcased their defensive edge with three blocks – two more than the Angels– proving their resilience in the opener.
