Zus Coffee shrugged off its recent stumble and delivered a composed, forceful performance on Tuesday (November 18) night at Ynares Center Montalban, dispatching Nxled with a 25-13, 25-21, 25-21 sweep that tightened the race for the top spot in the PVL Reinforced Conference. The victory, secured in just 78 minutes, placed the Thunderbelles back on track after a costly loss last week and reinforced their case as a rising contender.

The timing could not have been sharper, with the knockout quarterfinals set for Monday. Zus Coffee controlled tempo from the opening serve, reasserting the brand of pressure, balance and poise that made its surge through the eliminations one of the conference’s defining developments.

Anna DeBeer led the charge with 16 points, but the locals shaped much of the night’s flow. AC Miner was a steady presence at the middle with 15 points, while Chinnie Arroyo and Kate Santiago chipped in 10 and nine, respectively, helping them dictate the pace of the match from start to finish.

The Thunderbelles dominated every major scoring line, outgunning the Chameleons in attacks, blocks and aces. The outing restored their rhythm after Thursday’s defeat to Cignal cracked open the race for No. 1 and allowed PLDT and Farm Fresh to pull within striking distance.

Thunderbelles regain form with balanced execution

Setter Cloanne Mondonedo steered the offense with 23 excellent sets, nearly doubling the production of Nxled’s Jaja Maraguinot. Santiago anchored the floor with nine excellent digs and eight receptions, while DeBeer added 11 digs to keep transitions crisp and uninterrupted.

Nxled ended its campaign with an 0-8 slate, salvaging only five sets across the tournament. Paola Martinez posted 15 points, Lyann de Guzman added 10, and Chiara Permentilla finished with nine, but the Chameleons struggled to generate sustained pressure. De Guzman led their defensive stand with 11 digs and 11 receptions, while Martinez and Permentilla added eight digs and 12 receptions.

Race for positioning heats up ahead of quarterfinals

DeBeer called the win “a needed reset,” while Miner described the bounce-back performance as a lift heading into a turbulent, four-game knockout round. Their confidence reflects Zus Coffee’s transformation from a quiet expansion squad into one of the league’s most compelling storylines this season.

With DeBeer leading a revitalized mix of veterans, sophomores and rookies—including Gonzaga, Arroyo, Miner, Gagate, Nogales and Mondonedo—the Thunderbelles have elevated expectations far beyond early projections. Their push remains rooted in defensive grit, improved cohesion and a refusal to let last season’s struggles define them.

Tuesday’s sweep placed Zus Coffee at 20 points, the current high mark. But PLDT and Farm Fresh, each with 18 points, can still overtake them with straight-set or four-set wins in Thursday’s final prelims.

Should the standings hold and Zus Coffee land at No. 3, a clash with No. 6 Cignal would await on Monday, though that scenario can still shift depending on the outcomes of Akari’s and Petro Gazz’s matches.

Regardless of the eventual bracket, one thing is no longer in doubt: Zus Coffee intends to meet every challenge head-on. The Thunderbelles are not chasing validation—they are chasing proof that they belong in the championship conversation, and they intend to show it against whoever stands in front of them.