Choco Mucho stalwart Isa Molde has emerged as one of the team’s top contributors amid their 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference hot streak.
When the Choco Mucho Flying Titans recorded their fourth consecutive win last February 10, head coach Dante Alinsunurin didn’t hesitate to heap praise on starting outside hitter Isa Molde.
After all, the proud UP product has been a steady presence amid Choco Mucho’s winning streak, acting as another scorer alongside Sisi Rondina and Dindin Santiago-Manabat with her timely kills, solo blocks, and even solid floor defense.
“Well, ‘yun nga, sobrang natutuwa ako sa kanya [Molde] kasi alam ko naman na kaya niya gawin, minsan lang talaga nagdadoubt siya sa ginagawa niya,” Alinsunurin told The GAME after Choco Mucho’s 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 25-15 over the Akari Chargers last weekend. “Sobrang thankful ako kasi kahit na alam mo ‘yun? Pinipiga namin siya pero nagde-deliver talaga siya.”
“Kahit na may nararamdaman, pinupush niya ‘yung sarili niya, kaya sobrang masaya ako sa naging performance niya [against Akari] and sana magtuloy tuloy siya,” Alinsunurin added following her eight-point performance against the Chargers.
At the time, Molde was coming off a string of double-digit scoring nights, including a 13-point, 11-dig outing against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, and her 12 points built on three blocks against the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanya, hindi naman kita pagbibigyan ng pagkakataon kung ‘di mo kakayanin, kasi sabi ko nga dito sa PVL, nakikita namin kung sino talaga ‘yung pupwede namin gamitin pagdating sa huli,” Alinsunurin said of the Cebuana spiker.
“Kasi mas importante ngayon ‘yung dulo na ng labanan, and parang as a coach, sa mga coaching staff ko, pinaguusapan namin kung sino ‘yung pupwede sa ganitong sitwasyon.”
Paying it forward
Indeed, Alinsunurin’s wish was fulfilled on Thursday as Choco Mucho recorded its fifth-straight win at the expense of the Nxled Chameleons. Molde finished with 12 points against Nxled, including the game-winning kill to end a thrilling five-setter at the Philsports Arena.
For her, it’s a matter of paying it forward to her coaches and teammates who continue to place their trust in her to be a reliable hitter. While she still struggles with self-doubt, it’s this level of support that’s helping Molde as she learns to believe in herself more.
“Alam mo ‘yun? Pag papalo ka o mageerror, pag papalo, nabi-block ako, lagi nila sasabihin ‘Okay lang ‘yun, maganda naman ‘yung coverage natin, paluin mo lang’, ‘yung mga ganun. So like that, nabo-boost ‘yung confidence ko kasi ang laki ng tiwala nila sakin eh! So ako, bakit hindi ako magtitiwala sa sarili ko, parang ganun?” Molde told The GAME after Choco Mucho’s 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-10 win over the Chamelons.
Molde is also determined to bounce back from a poor showing in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, where she dealt with personal matters that hindered her game and overall commitment to the Flying Titans.
But true to her earlier point, the 26-year-old still had her Choco Mucho family to lean on as they fully understood her situation at the time.
“Parang hindi ako nag-show up nun sa training tas alam mo ‘yun? Pag nasa training ako alam mo ‘yung wala ‘yung wala sa sarili? So nahiya talaga ako sa coaches,” Molde recalled of the 2024 Reinforced Conference.
“Pero that time naman, grabe ‘yung patience ng mga coaches sakin tsaka ng teammates ko, kasi alam talaga nila ‘yung pinagdadaanan ko that time tsaka ‘yun, pero parang nagre-recover naman na ako.”
And now that she looks to maintain her fine form, Isa Molde couldn’t be more grateful to have a group of coaches and teammates who place their unbreakable trust in her.
“Grabe ‘yung…sobrang nakaka-uplift ng loob,” an emotional Molde said. “Pero super gaan na sa feeling ngayon na andyan sila for me and for [the team].”
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.