ZUS Coffee celebrates during a win over Capital1 in the PVL on Tour in Montalban, Rizal.–PVL PHOTO
MONTALBAN, Rizal — Rookie AC Miner dazzled with 18 points to lead ZUS Coffee to a come-from-behind 20-25, 26-24, 23-25, 25-18, 15-11 win over winless Capital1 for its first PVL on Tour win on Sunday at Ynares Center Montalban.
Miner, the fifth overall pick of ZUS Cofee, finished with 13 kills and five blocks as the Thunderbelles improved to a 1-1 record, bouncing back from a tough five-set loss to Akari on Saturday evening.
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ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee and AC Miner after their first win. #PVL2025 #PVLonTour @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/MplZrcAS2v
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) July 6, 2025
With her team trailing after three sets, the former Ateneo star caught fire in the fourth set and willed ZUS back to force a decider.
“In the second set, I couldn’t score anymore, so the coaches and my teammates helped me add some variations to my attacks. It worked, because we were able to catch up in the fourth set, and we got the win today,” said Miner in Filipino.
Tied at 10-all in the fifth set, Jov Gonzaga and Fiola Ceballos delivered in the clutch to put the Thunderbelles at match point, 14-10, before Sydney Niegos saved a point.
Gonzaga soared for the game-winning cut shot to end the game in two hours and 13 minutes, with the veteran delivering 14 points to backstop Kate Santiago, who had 17 points.
Setter Clo Mondoñedo dished out 37 excellent sets, as Chinnie Arroyo and Fiola Ceballos chipped in nine and eight points, respectively. Rookie Mycah Go had seven points, 23 excellent receptions, and 13 digs.
READ: PVL: AC Miner excited for ZUS Coffee team up with Thea Gagate
“Of course, I’m happy. And these games have been long. We’ve been going to five sets almost every time, but it’s still fun. It’s not that easy to integrate all the players, but we’ll get there,” said ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee in Filipino.
ZUS Coffee heads to Passi, Iloilo to battle Creamline and Cignal on July 19 and 20, respectively.
Capital1 blew an 18-9 spread in the third as Jov Gonzaga made it a two-point game, 23-21. Alvarez stopped the bleeding and sent the Solar Spikers at set point, as ZUS Coffee rookies Miner and Go saved two points before the veteran spiker denied their foes’ comeback bid to regain the advantage, two sets to one.
But ZUS never wavered and relied on a collective effort to pull off the comeback.
READ: PVL: Riza Nogales grateful to ZUS after draft fall due to injury
Alas coach Jorge Souza de Brito, fresh from a fourth-place finish in the VTV International Cup in Vietnam, had a losing comeback as Capital1 remained winless in four games with Trisha Genesis carrying the cudgels with 23 points, 24 receptions, and 19 digs.
Shola Alvarez had 22 points, while Niegos added 19 points. Libero and captain Roma Mae Doromal had 19 digs and 12 receptions, while setter Iris Tolenada had 32 excellent sets.
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Capital1 hopes to finish its Pool B stint with a win against Akari, its final group stage game on July 15 at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
ZUS Coffee was slapped with a red card to start the game for wearing a wrong uniform, resulting in both teams sporting similar blue kits. The blunder led to Capital1 being awarded the first point of the match.
