Foxies repel Thunderbelles for share of third spot

Games Saturday

(PhilSports Arena)

1 p.m. - Nxled vs Capital1 (PVL)

3:30 p.m. - NU-Archipelago Builders vs AFP (Spikers’ Turf)

6 p.m. - Choco Mucho vs Akari (PVL)

MANILA, Philippines — It’s all about pride.

That was the motivation by Farm Fresh when it turned back sibling rival ZUS Coffee, 25-21, 16-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10, Thursday to keep its place in the magic four in the PVL All-Filipino Conference Pulse Series at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

“To be honest, mas mahirap labanan naming sister teams, labanan talaga ng pride,” said Farm Fresh’s veteran spiker Ces Molina, who did almost everything with 18 points, including five blocks, while presiding over her club’s floor defense with excellent 17 receptions and 12 digs.

Honey Royse Tubino led the way in scoring for her squad with 20 points, while Trisha Tubu was in her usual energetic self after uncorking 17 hits in helping the Foxies seize a share of third with the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on 3-2 cards.

ZUS dropped to 0-4.

But no one compared to Molina, a former MVP who just did it all.

“Focused talaga kami every game alam kasi namin gaano ka importante ang mga ito dahil sunod na laro namin against mas mabibigat na kalaban,” she said.

Molina, of course, was referring to their final three elimination round games versus PLDT on November 10 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Capital1 on November 14 and 11-time league champion Creamline on November 21 both at the PhilSports Arena.

Farm Fresh is hoping to make the Final Four and hopefully do well this conference.

If they end up accomplishing that goal, the Foxies would earn enough points for an easier path towards the one thing the franchise is ultimately searching for — its breakthrough PVL championship.