Farm Fresh breaks skid after beating Choco Mucho in five sets

March 11 ------ THIRD time proved to be the charm for Farm Fresh as it rediscovered its rhythm in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference, snapping a two-game skid with a 21-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-18, 15-9 win over Choco Mucho at the Playtime Filoil Centre.

Former Flying Titan Royse Tubino came through in the clutch in her first game against her old team, scoring four of her 14 points off the bench to help repel the squad she spent nearly two years with. The Foxies bounced back from back-to-back five-set losses with a steadier effort in another extended contest, improving to 3-4 and staying within striking distance of a qualifying round berth alongside Nxled and Capital1.

More importantly, Farm Fresh finally turned the tide in a tiebreak, shaking off the sting of its recent five-set defeats to Capital1 and PLDT. Trisha Tubu led the way for the Foxies with 22 points on 16 attacks and six blocks, two in that dominant fifth-set showing. "We need a more strong teamwork and not just skill. To improve the skill is easy, just practice. But teamwork, to make a team with strong teamwork, this is very difficult," said Farm Fresh head coach Koji Tsuzurabara. "I expect more strong teamwork. Today was a good step. I hope to make the next step."

Farm Fresh held slim three-point cushions early in the opening set before the momentum shifted when back-to-back Sisi Rondina hits pulled Choco Mucho level at 15-all. The Foxies briefly regained the upper hand behind Ces Molina, who pushed them ahead 22-21 late in the frame. But with Eya Laure and conference debutant Maddie Madayag stepping up, the Flying Titans wrested control.

Laure scored the final three points of the set, firing two attacks before sealing it with a kill block to give Choco Mucho the early lead. Farm Fresh answered in the second set, racing to a 4-0 start and protecting that edge the rest of the way. Kat Tolentino erased one set point to trim the gap to 22-24, but Royse Tubino hammered an attack off Tolentino’s hands that was confirmed via a successful block-touch challenge, allowing the Foxies to even the match at one set apiece.

The third set followed a similar script but swung in Choco Mucho’s favor. The Flying Titans opened with a 4-0 run and never looked back, cruising to a comfortable nine-point win. Momentum then shifted again in the fourth. Choco Mucho held a 6-3 lead before Farm Fresh stormed back with a 13-4 blitz to force a deciding fifth set. The Foxies dominated the tiebreak from start to finish. Tubu scored five points, including two blocks and the match-clinching hit, while Tubino and Molina chipped in four each to prevent another five-set collapse.

Molina delivered a triple-double of 17 points, 13 digs, and 13 receptions, while Tubino added 14 markers and five receptions against her former team. Riri Meneses contributed 10 points, with Alohi Robins-Hardy dishing out 22 excellent sets and Maicah Larroza tallying 14 digs. For Choco Mucho, back-to-back 22-point games from Rondina, who also had 11 receptions, and Tolentino went to waste as the Flying Titans’ two-game win streak came to an end. Laure chipped in 15 points off the bench as Maddie Madayag's conference debut ended with three points.

Source: spin.ph