ZUS Coffee’s Chai Troncoso comes up big against her ex-team Cignal in an important PVL game.–PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Chai Troncoso haunted her former team Cignal to place ZUS Coffee a win closer to a breakthrough playoffs appearance within the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Troncoso, flourishing as a Thunderbelle, hammered out 21 points including the last two winning points to disclaim Cignal from claiming the last quarterfinal ticket with a 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12 win of their play-in game on Tuesday at Philsports Arena.
She could also be a thorn within the side of Cignal, but all her learnings from her former team helped her lead a young ZUS Coffee squad to beat a five-set thriller.
READ: PVL: ZUS Coffee boosts quarters bid, downs Cignal
Chai Troncoso after haunting her former team Cignal. #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/eddcGjVHbb
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) March 11, 2025
“Possibly a part of it’s that I gained confidence with Cignal. As an off-the-bench player, you understand your playing time is proscribed, so we actually made sure to seize every opportunity we had there. Also, the coaches at Cignal trusted me lots, and I’m really thankful for that,” Troncoso told the reporters in Filipino after tallying 17 excellent receptions.
The 27-year-old hitter brought all her gains in its place player for Cignal to becoming certainly one of the Thunderbelles’ key cogs.
“Here, I’ve really embraced the chance, especially knowing that I used to be an off-the-bench player at Cignal. That is what I need—to play and get playing time. I’m really grateful that ZUS Coffee gave me the prospect to play with them,” said Troncoso.
“I assume I’ve fully embraced my role here at ZUS, because of my teammates, coaches, and management, helping us get to where we are actually. This seems like a win, and it’s like a [rebirth] for me here at ZUS.”
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Besides her veteran smarts, Troncoso also attributed their win to their coaches and fellow former Cignal star Jovelyn Gonzaga for helping them get their act together within the fifth set.
“Our coaches, together with Nang Jovz, gathered us to reset and focus, forsaking the 4 sets we played. The fifth set was crucial. As players, we actually did all the pieces we could to win that fifth set, and we played as one,” she said.
Troncoso said the job’s not finished because the Thunderbelles seek a win over Capital1 on Thursday to secure the No.7 seed for the best-of-three quarterfinal series against Petro Gazz.
“I’m completely happy because this game can be a lift for us going into Capital1. It’s not over yet, we still have a game in Capital1 to essentially make it to the quarters,” Troncoso said.
