Est Cola breathed life into their PVL Invitational Conference campaign with a breakthrough win over the Farm Fresh Foxies.
Thai guest team Est Cola barged into the win column after they beat the Farm Fresh Foxies in their last round-robin match of the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference in a five-set thriller, 22-25, 25-17, 19-25, 25-20, 17-15, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Monday.
Despite having young players that are mostly still in high school, Est Cola showed tremendous grit and patience as they recovered from a one-set deficit twice against the Foxies.
Even as Farm Fresh stormed back in Set 4, to push the game into deadlock at 18-all, they pounced on untimely errors from the Filipino team to kick start a 7-2 run to force the deciding fifth set, 25-20.
In the fifth set, Seetaloed Warisara put the team on her back as she scored nine of her team’s points in the winner-take-all fifth set.
Farm Fresh was actually first to reach match point when Trisha Tubu scored on an attack to take them on the cusp of the victory, 14-13.
But a final 4-1 burst capped off by a Natthawan Phattaisong ace turned the tables on the Foxies as the young spikers kept their dream alive of finishing on the podium.
Finishing at 1-3 after the round-robin matches, they can still make it to the bronze medal match if Farm Fresh loses to Creamline on Wednesday.
Warisara led the cavalry for Est Cola as she unleashed 33 points to tow her team to their first-ever win in the PVL. Phattaisong added 18 markers of her own.
After the match, Est Cola head coach Wanna Buakaew spoke about a key adjustment in the fourth set that ultimately led to their victory.
“[During the fourth set], I told my players to serve strong [because] Farm Fresh's [first ball] receive wasn't good so they can't attack with the middle blocker, [so Farm Fresh] can give only open balls.” she said.
“Then, we [can] stop the open [hitter], and then we try to defend and make (a) point back to Farm Fresh. I told every player [to] serve 100% for the set." she added.
Est Cola hopes to return for one more game day on Thursday when the podium finishers will be decided with the Battle for Third and Finals games at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
"I'm really happy that we won this game. I told my players we hope to win today to fight and go to the (medal round)." said Buakaew.