Choco Mucho captain Des Cheng tries to score against Galeries Tower in a PVL on Tour preseason game in Batangas.–PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Choco Mucho may have a depleted roster, but captain Des Cheng and the rest of the Flying Titans showed the team’s grit in the PVL on Tour on Saturday.
Sans Sisi Rondina and its Alas Pilipinas players, new heroes emerged for Choco Mucho in its 25-19, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20 win over Galeries Tower to begin its preseason campaign on Saturday at Batangas City Sports Center.
READ: PVL: Team effort carries Choco Mucho past Galeries Tower
Cheng praised the Flying Titans’ unity and desire to win, with the likes of rookies Jen Villegas and Ayesha Juegos stepping up in the team’s Pool A victory.
Rondina is currently training with the national beach volleyball team, while Maddie Madayag, Mars Alba, and first-round pick TiaAndaya are with Alas in Vietnam for the VTV Cup.
Cheng filling in the big shoes left by former captain Rondina was made easier by her teammates.
“Technically, I don’t see being captain as something that’s just mine alone because everyone on the court is a born leader in their own way,” said Cheng in Filipino after scoring 13 points on top of 11 digs and five excellent receptions, backstopping Isa Molde, who tallied 20 points.
“We all help each other with what we can do, and I trust everyone’s abilities. We wouldn’t have won today if we weren’t capable. Everyone’s performing, everyone’s listening, and everyone’s happy on the court.”
READ: PVL: With aces out on flag duty, Choco Mucho turns to skipper Des Cheng
Cheng, who returned this year after recovering from an ACL injury, believes that they just have to polish their lapses from their second-set defeat, needing to enjoy the game and make the right adjustments.
“Coach always reminds us to smile and enjoy the game because earlier, whenever we felt down, it showed in our mood. I think when that happens, we just need to recover quickly. It’s nice because everyone really complements each other,” she said.
Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin is grateful for the opportunity to go around the country through this preseason tournament as it will help Cheng and Co. to build a stronger connection, and at the same time, give back to the volleyball community in different provinces.
“For us, the PVL on Tour brings a lot of advantages. Our team is staying together in one place, and we always tell Des that we need to start this kind of situation where no matter who’s there, we should stick together and help each other,” said Alinsunurin. “We’re really in favor of this On Tour because it brings the players closer to the fans here and can inspire more kids to play volleyball.”
Cheng and Choco Mucho look to sweep their Batangas stop against Nxled on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
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“We’re grateful for the opportunity to play outside Manila. It’s really hard for people to travel and buy tickets there, so we’re super thankful that the moment we stepped on the court, the fans were already cheering loudly,” she said. “Watching live is really different from watching on TV—the atmosphere, the intensity, everything is there. We’re just really thankful and excited for the next On Tour games.”