ZUS Coffee brewed the perfect comeback to shock Cignal, battling through a grueling five-set war, 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12, and moving one win away from securing the last quarterfinal spot in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Play-In at the Philsports Arena on Tuesday, March 11.

The Thunderbelles, once on the brink of elimination, showed grit and composure in a match that tested their resilience. Former Cignal spiker Chai Troncoso delivered back-to-back clutch hits in the deciding frame, sealing ZUS Coffee’s biggest win of the conference.

Troncoso, playing against her former team, delivered the knockout punch with a powerful crosscourt hit to reach match point at 14-12, before firing another blistering attack that ricocheted off a Cignal defender to close out the upset.

“This victory means so much to us. We just kept fighting and drawing strength from each other. We knew we had to win this to keep our chances alive,” said Chinnie Arroyo, who led the Thunderbelles with 20 points and earned Best Player of the Game honors.

Troncoso, Arroyo power ZUS Coffee’s breakthrough win

Troncoso led all scorers with 21 points, capping off a breakout performance against her former squad. Thea Gagate and Michelle Gamit added 16 and 13 points, respectively, while Jovelyn Gonzaga’s veteran presence proved crucial in steering ZUS Coffee to victory.

Cignal, now 1-1 in the Play-In round, must win against Capital1 to force a three-way tie for the final quarterfinal berth. If that scenario unfolds, the last ticket will be determined by total points, set ratio, and set wins.

For Cignal, the loss was heartbreaking. After erasing an eight-point deficit in Set 4 to force a decider, the HD Spikers surged to a 6-3 lead in the fifth set, appearing ready to clinch a quarterfinal slot.

But ZUS Coffee refused to fold, rallying behind Gamit and Troncoso, and capitalizing on a Cignal rotation error to grab a 7-6 lead.

Cignal’s Vanie Gandler spearheaded their fightback with 23 points, while Ishie Lalongisip and Jackie Acuña provided 16 and 12 markers, respectively. Roselyn Doria-Aquino, Jovelyn Fernandez, and Gel Cayuna also contributed, but the HD Spikers collapsed in the clutch.

ZUS Coffee one win away from quarterfinals

The Thunderbelles now control their destiny, needing only a victory over Capital1 Solar Spikers on Thursday to complete their stunning turnaround and book a quarterfinal spot.

Their grit and determination have turned them from an early Play-In round casualty to a legitimate quarterfinal contender—and with Troncoso leading the charge, the Thunderbelles have their eyes set on defying the odds once more.