NEGROS OCCIDENTAL – In a game that meant little in the standings but delivered plenty of action and drama, the fans of Victorias City emerged as the biggest winners.
A full-house Victorias City Coliseum came alive as Farm Fresh and Capital1 transformed what was supposed to be a non-bearing road game into a spirited, grudge-like battle that went the full five sets, giving Negros Occidental a fitting showcase on its first successful hosting of a Philippine Volleyball League event.
The Foxies leaned on their experience, composure and ability to recover from adversity to rally from a set down twice and frustrate the Solar Spikers, 20-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-12, 15-10, on Saturday, Aug. 22, in the only five-setter among the 11 matches played in the PVL On Tour Showdown.
The drawn-out battle reached a boiling point early in the fifth when rookie Capital1 rookie Khy Cepada unleashed a thunderous spike that caught Ara Galang off guard, with the ball striking her squarely in the face and knocking her down.
But the veteran Farm Fresh striker simply shrugged off the impact as the Foxies weathered the Solar Spikers’ threat at 6-8, then racked up five of the next six points to pull away, 13-7.
Ces Molina sparked the surge with back-to-back hits, while Pierre Abellana added an ace. Mylene Rezonova and Molina then countered Capital1’s lone point, scored by Cepada, with Molina veering away from her vaunted power attacks to catch the defense off guard with a clever drop ball.
Capital1 saved two match points after a Farm Fresh service miscue and a Molina attack error. The Solar Spikers then stretched the match after winning a block-touch challenge on an Ysa Jimenez attack to make it 10-14.
But it only delayed the inevitable.
Trisha Tubu blasted an unmolested strike into an open hole at center court, ending the two-hour, 14-minute match and sending the Foxies players and bench into a wild celebration.
More than the result, however, it was the atmosphere inside the coliseum that made the night memorable.
From the opening serve to the final point, the crowd remained deeply invested, responding to every long rally, big hit, defensive save and momentum swing. Supporters of both teams made their voices heard, turning the venue into a lively volleyball theater and proving that the sport’s growing following extends well beyond the traditional volleyball centers.
For the people of Victorias City and the rest of Negros Occidental, it was more than just another road game on the PVL calendar. It was an opportunity to see top-level volleyball up close – and they made the most of it.
And the players responded in kind.
Capital1 came out with the urgency of a team determined to make the most of its final appearance, taking the opening set and then scrambling to regain the upper hand in the third after Farm Fresh had evened the match.
But the Foxies refused to fold.
With their campaign on the line, Farm Fresh regained control in emphatic fashion in the fourth set, racing away from Capital1 to force a deciding frame. The Solar Spikers, who had spent much of the third set fighting for every point, appeared to run out of ammunition, power and steam when it mattered most.
Farm Fresh, meanwhile, carried the momentum straight into the fifth.
“I knew I had to contribute for us to win, so I just gave my best, played with purpose, and made sure I had an impact,” said Galang in Filipino, who bounced back from the late-game fall to earn Best Player of the Game honors after finishing with 14 points and eight excellent digs.
“I think I was able to perform well, and most importantly, we got the win,” she added.
Tubu topscored with 24 points while Molina added 16 markers and 17 excellent receptions and Rezanova contributed nine markers.
Louie Romero set the tone for the Foxies with 23 sets, showcasing excellent consistency and playmaking.
Shay Adorador led Capital1 with 14 points, while Jimenez had 13 and Cherry Nunag and Cepada finished with 11 and nine markers, respectively.
Farm Fresh overcame struggles in the first and third sets to finish with 61 attacks, seven more than Capital1, which showed plenty of fight despite missing three key players in Bella Belen, Erika Santos and Vanie Gandler, all members of the national team.
Belen provided motivation and encouragement from the bench, but the Foxies simply had too much depth to overcome Capital1 in such a grueling, protracted battle.
Farm Fresh also held the edge in blocks, 11-8, and aces, 9-5. The Foxies likewise benefited from 26 free points, although they conceded 24 of their own, underscoring the erratic and back-and-forth nature of the match, capping the six-week On Tour Showdown.
The Foxies thus ended their three-game On Tour campaign with a 2-1 record. Capital1 finished at 0-2.
Yet the final numbers hardly told the whole story.
For the Foxies, the victory served as a valuable tuneup heading into the PVL Invitational, a six-team tournament featuring four of the league’s top squads and guest squads from Thailand and Vietnam. Creamline, PLDT and Nxled are among the Philippine clubs set to see action when the tournament fires off next week at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
For Capital1, the loss capped a tough campaign, but the Solar Spikers could take something from a match in which they pushed a more seasoned Farm Fresh side to the limit.
For Negros Occidental, however, the scoreboard was almost beside the point.
The real victory belonged to the fans.
