Rondina, Flying Titans ready to take flight

Despite their setback in the last All-Filipino Conference, where they narrowly missed snaring the championship against the Creamline Cool Smashers, Rondina remains optimistic about the upcoming centerpiece tournament reeling off Tuesday (Feb. 20) at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

The departure of key players like Bea de Leon, Dendez Lazaro-Revilla and Caitlyn Viray has created a void in the team, but the arrival of talented players such as Royse Tubino, Mean Mendrez, Mars Alba and Bia General is expected to more than fill that gap effectively.

Rondina expresses excitement about playing alongside her new teammates and showcasing their skills in a tournament that promises intense competition from 11 other teams, including two newcomers.

Having fully adapted to coach Dante Alinsunurin’s system and play patterns, the Flying Titans enter the AFC fray with utmost confidence. And Rondina acknowledges the importance of overcoming off-days and nights but stresses personal improvement, particularly in her weakest aspect – receive.

Despite emerging the top scorer and ranking high in various statistics after the semifinals in the last AFC, she remains focused on refining her skills.

“Sana, kasi maraming mga instances na pwedeng off. Maraming pangyayari na hindi natin alam pero siyempre mas pino-focus ko talaga kung saan talaga ako weak, ‘yung receive ko. So, unti-unti, nag-i-improve naman,” said Rondina, who emerged the top scorer (236 points). She also ranked third as the most efficient spiker (36.98 percent), placed ninth in serve (0.20 per set), finished No. 6 in digs (2.33 per set) and wound up the second best receiver with 38.67 percent efficiency.

Downplaying expectations for the team, Rondina guarantees that the Flying Titans will approach each game with determination and winning mindset. She admits the uncertainty of the conference due to the level playing field but underscores the team’s commitment to hard work and adherence to Alinsunurin’s teachings.

“Expectations? Wala, kasi madaming teams ang sumali ngayon. Sabi nga, bilog ‘yung bola. Hindi natin malalaman kung ano ‘yung takbo ng conference,” said Rondina. “Pero sisiguraduhin po namin na magta-trabaho kami at siyempre ipapakita po namin kung ano ‘yung mga itinuturo ni coach Dante.”

“Hindi namin iniisip ‘yun (expectations) actually, hindi naman dapat iniisip ‘yun. Pero sabi ko, lagi kaming magta-trabaho, ipapakita po namin kung paano kami mag training at paano po namin maipe-perform yung mga tinuturo ni coach,” said Rondina.

While expressing happiness for her former teammates and their growth with their new teams, Rondina remains focused on Choco Mucho’s goals.

“Happy po ako sa kanila, kasi mas mag go-grow pa sila sa team na pinuntahan nila. Wish ko lang sa kanila na mag iingat, siyempre nalulungkot ako pero okay lang kasi alam kong ikakasaya nila ‘yun at choice nila ‘yun,” she said.

Choco Mucho kicks off its campaign against Nxled on Thursday (Feb. 22), followed by a challenging match against the Petro Gazz Angels, a recent Champions Cup winner with notable additions to their roster.

Despite Creamline being considered the pre-tournament pick, the rest of the 12-team cast, including Cignal, Chery Tiggo, PLDT, Akari, Nxled, Galeries Tower, Farm Fresh and newcomers Capital1 and Strong Group, are prepared to compete fiercely, setting the stage for an exciting and highly-competitive edition of the country’s premier women’s volley league where it all started.