Rondina pushes Choco past Nxled

MANILA, Philippines — When the going gets tough, everybody knows who Choco Mucho would go to – Sisi Rondina.

Coming through big when her team needed it most, Rondina did what she does best as Choco Mucho survived Nxled, 25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-10, yesterday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Rondina exploded with a match-best 23 points including 21 bazooka kills as the Flying Titans nailed their fifth straight victory and seventh in 10 outings that kept them in the upper half of the standings.

Isa Molde scattered 12 hits while Royce Tubino came off the bench and stepped up big in the final two sets for the franchise seeking its breakthrough championship in the league.

But no star shone as bright as Rondina, who had all the answers in helping quashed Nxled’s upset try.

The Chameleons, who looked reenergized after claiming their first win of the conference against the Galeries Tower Highrisers last Saturday, appeared on course at pulling off a major shocker after seizing the second and third sets to go 2-1 set up and leading in the fourth set, 17-16.

But Choco Mucho found a way to turn things around in snatching the fourth set and forcing a deciding frame that it dominated to escape the axe.

Nxled fell to 1-9.

Choco Mucho coach Dante Alinsunurin praised Nxled for giving them a strong fight.

“Grabe ‘yung kumpiyansa ng Nxled na nakalaban kami, sobra ganda ginalaw nila. Kahit ano adjustment ginawa namin, andun pa rin sila,” said Alinsunurin. “But nag-adjust kami bandang huli,” he added.