‘Finally’: Ending 12-game skid vs Creamline a relief for Choco Mucho’s Maddie Madayag

Choco Mucho captain Maddie Madayag expressed relief after her team — at long last — captured a win against their sister team Creamline, which has dominated them for the last 12 matches in the Premier Volleyball League.

And the victory came at perhaps the best possible time: a semifinal win in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference which put them on the cusp of possibly clinching another finals berth.

The victory did not come easy as they fought their way back from two sets down for a 13-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-16 result on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena in front of 6,407 volleyball fans.

“Finally lang, ‘yun lang talaga, Madayag said. “Kasi ilang conferences na namin silang pinaghandaan pero parang short kami pa lagi. But finally, grabe ‘yung pinagdaanan namin.”

“Although pangit ‘yung first two sets namin, at least nakabawi kami and ‘yun nga sabi ni coach Dante [Alinsunurin], teamwork lang talaga and very grateful lang kami kay Lord.”

Madayag also thanked God for the win.

“‘Thank You, Lord’ kami nang ‘Thank you Lord’ nila Mars [Alba] kasi [ang] dami nang nagka-cramps, walang nai-injure sa ‘min, pero hindi Niya kami pinabayaan and lumaban din naman talaga kami,” she said.

For the Choco Mucho skipper, their recent showdown in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Finals was also a difference maker — which allowed them to read their Rebisco sisters on the taraflex.

“Siguro nakatulong din ‘yung naging experience namin sa finals kalaban sila. Medyo nababasa na naman sila and of course yung additions namin, veterans, and setters grabe ‘yung diskarte ni Mars [Alba] kanina,” Madayag said.

“Credit din talaga sa mga teammates namin kasi hindi talaga sumuko and veteran namin sobrang galing talaga [ni] sergeant [Royse Tubino],” she added.