If you ask her, Jovelyn Gonzaga is the least surprised with the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles’ showing throughout the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Before she knew it, Jovelyn Gonzaga found herself crying tears of joy on the Philsports Arena taraflex, with her teammates erupting in celebration after her crucial kill block on Petro Gazz star Myla Pablo.
Gonzaga’s single block on Pablo sealed ZUS Coffee’s Game 1 victory against the Angels, giving them a crucial 1-0 advantage in their best-of-three quarterfinals in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
“Basta sobrang proud ako sa na-block ko si Myla, knowing Myla Pablo na sobrang likot ng kamay, sobrang hirap i-block ni Myla,” Gonzaga recalled of that moment following ZUS Coffee’s 25-21, 25-23, 27-25 sweep over Petro Gazz on Tuesday.
After falling to a 0-2 deficit, Petro Gazz came roaring back in Set 3 and came close to extending the game into a crucial fourth set, before an attack error from Pablo and Gonzaga’s rejection sealed ZUS Coffee’s victory.
“So nung na-block ko siya, and nakita ko na bumaba ‘yung bola, alam ko na tapos na ‘yung laro, and syempre alam mo ‘yung pagod ka na, and parang biglang last point na pinaka-importante is nakuha mo, so ‘yun. Thankful and grateful,” said Gonzaga, who let out a roar of emotions following the rejection.
ZUS Coffee’s Game 1 win is just the latest chapter in their breakthrough All-Filipino Conference, which includes their first set of franchise victories, and a sweep of the play-in rounds that booked their maiden PVL quarterfinals appearance.
For Jovelyn Gonzaga, selflessness has been crucial to ZUS’ rise from a lottery team into a contending one, with each player giving it their all to the team rather than personal glory.
“Kagaya nga ng sinabi ko kanina, very selfless ng bawa’t isa, hindi namin iniisip ‘yung personal credit ng bawa’t isa, kundi gumagalaw kami para sa team. Kailangan namin manalo and ‘yun talaga ‘yung reminder tuwing umaapak kami sa court, na maglaro kami para sa bawa’t isa. And ‘yung game [against Petro Gazz], it’s a total team effort talaga,” the veteran opposite reflected.
On top of this, Gonzaga has always seen ZUS Coffee’s potential to compete since arriving as a veteran figure last October. More than having a competitive group of players, Gonzaga said, is an attitude that has allowed their gradual growth into a winning team.
“Feeling ko nagbo-boil down talaga sa attitude ng player and ‘yun ang nakikita ko sa ZUS, na happy ako sa bawa’t araw, basta thankful ako sa kanila,” an emotional Gonzaga said.
A longer-than-usual conference also gives ZUS Coffee ample time to mesh all their new pieces together, along with resolving any lapses in their growing pains.
You may recall that the Thunderbelles finished with four wins and seven losses during the preliminary rounds, before turning up the heat once the stakes were raised in the ongoing All-Filipino Conference.
“Onti onti, ‘yung chemistry namin nawo-work out namin, and kung anuman kulang namin. Nung una, natatanggap pa namin kasi five sets tas ‘di namin nakuha, and sige pa onti-onti [kami mag-grow],” Gonzaga said, recalling ZUS Coffee’s five-setters against title contenders Creamline Cool Smashers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans.
“Pero willingly naman nag-submit ang isa’t isa sa coaching staff, sa program ng coaching staff. And ang maganda sa team, di nawawalan ng pag-asa. Matatalo kami pero pagbalik sa court, bagong goal nanaman kami ulit, so ‘yun siguro naging factor ng attitude ng bawa’t isa.”
Game 2 against Petro Gazz is scheduled for March 22 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. And while Game 1 was a monumental win, Gonzaga is now urging her younger teammates not to fall into the trap of complacency.
Petro Gazz is a team hungry for their own redemption and will come out swinging no doubt to keep their own semifinal hopes alive.
“Pagtatrabahuhan namin kung ano man ‘yung pinakita namin, dodoblehin namin and kailangan lang talaga namin makinig sa coaching staff, so for now i-feel muna namin ang pagkapanalo,” Gonzaga said.
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.