Import-less Choco Mucho stuns Cignal to officially open Reinforced Conference run

Choco Mucho shocked Cignal in four sets despite fielding an all-Filipino crew, bucking a slow start to carve out a 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 27-25 win to officially kick off its 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference campaign on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The Flying Titans were still without their import Anyse Smith, but that hardly mattered as Choco Mucho shocked the full-strength HD Spikers led by Greek reinforcement Eva Chantava.

Choco Mucho, whose opening-day win against Akari was voided due to delayed ITC from the PNVF, is now at 1-0 in Pool A while Cignal went 0-1. 

Several locals stepped up in the absence of Smith with Isa Molde, Honey Royse Tubino, and Maddie Madayag coming alive in the fourth set with the veteran Tubino giving them a 21-20 lead. 

But Cignal went on a rampage with Vanie Gandler unleashing a cross-court kill and Rose Doria-Aquino returning an overpass to fuel a 3-0 run and allow the HD Spikers take a 23-21 cushion. 

Tubino then flashed her vintage form, opting to go for the soft touch on the open before Madayag unloaded back-to-back points, a quick hammer and a block against her Alas Pilipinas teammate Gandler, to help Choco Mucho clinch the first match point at 24-23. 

Cignal would save two match points, but Dindin Santiago-Manabat completed a power hit from the opposite side before Madayag finished it off with an ace as Choco Mucho officially kicked off its campaign. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News