Laure shines as Flying Titans continue soaring
Eya Laure found motivation on both sides of the net on Tuesday night.
With two “ates”—older sisters—sharing the court, Laure delivered in the clutch as Choco Mucho defeated Nxled, 27-25, 28-26, 16-25, 25-19, in the Premier Volleyball League 2026 All-Filipino Conference at FilOil Centre.
Still regaining rhythm after an aggravated abdominal injury, Laure came off the bench and scored 13 points, including key hits in the fourth set that sealed the Flying Titans’ second straight win.
On her side was Alas Pilipinas teammate Sisi Rondina, who produced 24 points, 20 excellent receptions and eight digs. But Laure said it was Rondina’s nudge late in the match that helped her respond.
“Near the end, I even told her, ‘Ate, pinch me,’” Laure said in Filipino. “She hit me and I said, ‘That hurts!’ But it worked. It woke me up.”
Laure admitted she is still working her way back to full form.
“I just needed to build momentum for myself,” she said. “Since I’m still recovering, it’s a challenge figuring out how to overcome those moments. I felt like it was adrenaline, and I knew I couldn’t let that slip.”
Work in progress
Across the net was another familiar face—her elder sister, EJ Cariño—marking the first time they faced each other since their University of Santo Tomas and Chery Tiggo days.
“I actually miss playing with her,” Laure said. “It’s a different feeling when she’s on the other side. I’m just happy we’re both still playing.”
She added that having Rondina beside her felt familiar.
“The way Ate Sisi reminds me during games is similar to what my sister used to do,” Laure said. “I’m just happy I have a lot of ates around me.”
Laure also credited their playful banter for Rondina’s improved reception.
“I told her, just because you’re with me doesn’t mean we’ll always be out of system,” Laure said with a laugh. “Now you can see how good her receive has been.”
Kat Tolentino added 15 points for Choco Mucho, Lorraine Pecaña scored eight points, highlighted by five blocks, and Des Cheng chipped in seven. Deanna Wong dished out 23 excellent sets, while Thang Ponce had 21 digs.
Despite the back-to-back wins, coach Dante Alinsunurin said the Flying Titans are still a work in progress.
“There are still things we need to fix,” Alinsunurin said. “This conference is long enough for us to see what we need to improve. I hope every game becomes a lesson so that when we return to training, we push ourselves to be better.
