Farm Fresh survives ZUS Coffee scare, boosts PVL semifinal bid

Games Saturday (Nov. 7)

(Philsports Arena)

1 p.m. – Nxled vs. Capital1

3:30 p.m. – National U vs. AFP (Spikers’ Turf)

6 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs. Akari

Farm Fresh once again showed its remarkable staying power in marathon matches, overcoming a 1-2 set deficit to turn back ZUS Coffee, 25-21, 16-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10, and remain in the thick of the semifinal race in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Nov. 5.

Refusing to yield after surrendering the third set, the Foxies seized control early in the fourth with a decisive 5-0 run before sustaining the pressure to force a deciding set.

They carried that momentum into the fifth, where their firepower and composure helped seal the hard-earned victory in two hours and 10 minutes.

The comeback was another testament to Farm Fresh’s resolve in a conference marked by grueling five-set battles.

More than improving its record to 3-2 and tying Choco Mucho in the standings, the victory allowed the Foxies to keep their semifinal aspirations firmly on track while extending their unusual loss-win-loss-win sequence in their last four outings, all of which went the full distance.

“Mas mahirap ang panalong ito kumpara sa mga nauna naming victories dahil pride ang nakataya, at alam naming ibinigay talaga ng ZUS Coffee ang best nila,” said Ces Molina, who delivered a triple-double performance of 18 points, 12 excellent digs and 17 receptions to lead the Foxies past the Thunderbelles.

“Alam namin kung gaano kahalaga ang larong ito as we move forward to our next games. Mas mabibigat pa ang mga susunod naming laban, kaya kailangan talaga naming makuha ang panalong ito,” she added, acknowledging the challenge posed by their sister team, which remained winless at 0-5 and saw its semifinal hopes further diminish.

The Foxies took command in the deciding set as the Thunderbelles struggled to regain their rhythm after surrendering the fourth.

Unable to match Farm Fresh’s blistering start, ZUS Coffee watched the Foxies take eight of the first 11 points, fueled by Royse Tubino’s powerful attacks.

Jovelyn Gonzaga, visibly exhausted, managed to hammer down a hit following a long, grueling rally to cut the deficit to 6-10.

But the Foxies quickly responded with four straight points, capped by Riri Meneses’ block on Riza Nogales, to move within a point of victory at 14-6.

Just when Farm Fresh appeared poised to wrap up the match, ZUS Coffee mounted a late comeback, stringing together four consecutive points, the last coming off an AC Miner attack.

With the Foxies suddenly seeing their lead shrink, coach Koji Tsuzurabara called a timeout to settle his players after they had squandered four match points.

Molina then appeared to send an attack long after a couple of exchanges, seemingly giving the Thunderbelles another lifeline.

But Farm Fresh challenged the ball-in, ball-out call, and video review confirmed that the ball had landed just inside the baseline, awarding the point to the Foxies and bringing the two-hour, 10-minute encounter to an anticlimactic finish.

“Lahat ng teams ngayon patuloy na nag-i-improve, kaya kailangan consistent kami, laging focused at handa sa bawat laro,” said Molina, underscoring the growing competitiveness of the first of three conferences in the series.

Tubino spearheaded Farm Fresh’s attack with 20 points, while Trisha Tubu chipped in 17 as the Foxies’ three-pronged offensive attack once again delivered, powering the team to a 67-59 advantage in attacks.

ZUS Coffee held the edge in a fierce blocking battle, 18-16, but Farm Fresh made up for it with a strong finishing kick to secure the victory.

The Foxies, however, surrendered 21 points on errors while benefiting from only 16 miscues by the Thunderbelles.

Miner led ZUS Coffee with 21 points, while Jolina dela Cruz and Zam Nolasco scored 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Kate Santiago and Gonzaga came off the bench to contribute nine points apiece.

The match was the eighth five-setter in 21 games in the conference, highlighting the competitive and unpredictable nature of the tournament, where closely contested matches continue to shape the semifinal race.

The Foxies’ latest escape followed a five-set defeat to Nxled, a five-set triumph over Choco Mucho and another marathon loss to Akari.

The up-and-down stretch highlighted their ability to compete in tight matches while underscoring the need to improve their execution in crucial moments.

Farm Fresh will next face PLDT on Nov. 10 as it seeks to strengthen its position in the semifinal race.

For ZUS Coffee, however, it was another painful near-miss in its increasingly frustrating search for a breakthrough victory.