ZUS Coffee’s mid-season adjustment to its volleyball lineup has delivered two straight wins, including a 25-14, 25-20, 25-23 victory over Choco Mucho in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour conference. The Thunderbelles’ strategic overhaul, particularly in their frontcourt composition, has raised their defensive presence at the net. The team’s ability to secure back-to-back victories, especially against a formidable opponent like Choco Mucho, shows the potential of Coach Jerry Yee’s tactical recalibration, though the long-term implications of these changes remain a work in progress.
Coach’s gamble pays off early
Head coach Jerry Yee identified net defense as a key weakness last season and made a calculated move to address it. The team signed middle blocker Zam Nolasco in free agency and drafted rookie Alyanna Nicole Ong, then shifted current middle blocker AC Miner to the opposite spiker position. This restructuring was not merely about adding depth to the middle blocker rotation but also about redistributing the team’s defensive and offensive responsibilities.
“When you’re a coach, you can see the holes, what the team needs to work on,” Yee said. “And I’d like to start by saying I’m happy that they are responding to the changes.” His remarks reflect a broader philosophy of addressing weaknesses head-on rather than relying on incremental improvements. The decision to maximize the team’s middle blocker depth—by fielding three specialized players in that role—was a deliberate attempt to create a more imposing presence at the net.
The changes paid immediate dividends. In their weekend match against Choco Mucho in Batangas City, ZUS Coffee won in straight sets—25-14, 25-20, 25-23—while recording 30 total blocks. Nolasco and Miner led the effort with seven blocks each. Ong contributed three blocks, while veteran Riza Nogales added five blocks.
Trade-offs and growing pains
The shift wasn’t seamless. While the team’s blocking improved, Yee acknowledged it left gaps elsewhere. The most immediate consequence of prioritizing net defense was the strain it placed on the team’s floor defense, particularly in covering the court’s deeper areas. Additionally, the team’s struggles with the third ball indicated that the new system disrupted the team’s established flow.
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“At least we addressed our blocking although it created a hole in our floor defense and we had some struggles in our third ball,” he said. “There will be pros and cons but it is what it is and we just have to work on it.” Yee’s pragmatic assessment shows the reality of mid-season adjustments, where improvements in one area often come at the expense of another.
The transition hasn’t been easy for the players either. Miner, now playing opposite spiker, is still adjusting to her new role. Yee expects the process to take time but remains optimistic. “We expect the transition of our opposites to be slow but we’ll get there,” he said.
The early success offers a glimpse of what the team could achieve, but Yee cautioned against reading too much into it. The conference is short, and the real test will come in how the team adapts over time—not just in blocking, but in filling the defensive gaps the changes exposed. For ZUS Coffee, the focus will be on identifying and addressing the weaknesses that emerged during their initial matches, such as floor defense and third-ball consistency.
For now, the Thunderbelles are focused on refining their new system. The wins are a promising start, but the work is far from over.
