Deanna Wong, Jolina dela Cruz relish PVL comebacks in night of returns; PLDT routs Akari
MANILA, Philippines – It was a night of momentous returns and surprising results at the PhilSports Arena on Saturday, January 18, as the 2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference resumed with a loaded triple-header after a monthlong holiday layoff.
Choco Mucho star setter Deanna Wong quickly brushed off rust from a five-month injury break with a 7-point eruption to go with 10 excellent sets as the Flying Titans engineered a five-set reverse sweep over dark horse ZUS Coffee, 20-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-9, to rise to a 4-3 record.
“I was a bit nervous and chilly earlier, but I just trusted whatever role the coaches gave me,” said the former Ateneo standout in Filipino. “At first, I was still leaning on others to help me, but because we’ve been together for quite some time, I was able to get my bearings back even though I was gone for long.”
Former league MVP Sisi Rondina led the gutsy comeback win with a game-high 25 points, followed by a vintage 19-point outburst from Dindin Santiago-Manabat. Chai Troncoso led four Thunderbelles in double-digit scoring with 17 as they fell to a 2-4 card.
Meanwhile, the Farm Fresh Foxies also celebrated their own injury-related returns as Jolina dela Cruz and Lorene Toring both shone in their team debuts on the way to a tight 25-22, 26-24, 25-21 sweep over the Nxled Chameleons to even out with a 3-3 record.
One year and one day after her ACL surgery, Dela Cruz showed no signs of slowdown with a game-high 20-point eruption off 18 attacks and 2 aces in just three sets, while Toring — in her long-awaited professional debut out of Adamson — added 3 points as an immediate starter.
Trisha Tubu kept up her torrid scoring streak with 14 points, while Jaila Atienza paced the winless Chameleons’ sixth straight loss for the conference — 15 straight overall — with 11 points.
EJ Laure, meanwhile, made her on-court return after a stint with Chery Tiggo with 8 points, tying new teammate Lycha Ebon.
Lastly, the PLDT High Speed Hitters turned a highly anticipated match into a mere footnote as they wrecked the Akari Chargers in an uneventful 25-22, 25-16, 25-15 rout to rise to a 4-2 record.
Savi Davison scattered a game-high 15 points off 13 attacks and 2 blocks, Majoy Baron scored 11 all off attacks, and Erika Santos added 10 points in the lopsided affair, which saw veteran setter Kim Fajardo return for spot minutes.
Faith Nisperos was Akari’s lone double-digit scorer with 11 points as fellow star spike Ivy Lacsina disappeared with 6 points on a 6-of-36 attack clip.
Despite the Chargers falling to a 2-4 slate, they nonetheless celebrated their own return in their midst as star libero Justine Jazareno made her post-pregnancy comeback with an efficient line of 10 excellent digs in just 19 attempts. – Rappler.com