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Tag: Jolina Dela Cruz

  • Jolina Dela Cruz finds her place as ZUS Coffee’s new-look rotation delivers 2-0 start in PVL On Tour

    Jolina Dela Cruz finds her place as ZUS Coffee’s new-look rotation delivers 2-0 start in PVL On Tour

    ZUS Coffee is proving that early success is not built around a single star but on a roster learning to move as one—and Jolina Dela Cruz is quickly becoming an important piece of that puzzle.


    The Thunderbelles continued their impressive start to the 2026 PVL On Tour on Saturday, sweeping Choco Mucho, 25-15, 25-20, 25-23, at the Batangas City Sports Center to seize the early solo lead in the tournament with a 2-0 record.

     

    For Dela Cruz, the unbeaten start reflects more than just victories. It is also evidence that she is gradually finding her rhythm after making the move to ZUS Coffee following her stint with Farm Fresh in the previous conference.

     

    “I think, unti-unti naman nakakasunod na rin talaga sa sistema nila. Siyempre, sariling sistema din talaga si coach Jerry, tapos ‘yung players talaga, galing din talaga sa kanya,” Dela Cruz said.

     

    Rather than immediately taking on a starring role, the 26-year-old outside hitter has embraced the team’s structure, allowing the Thunderbelles’ balanced system to flourish under head coach Jerry Yee.

     

    That depth was on full display against the Flying Titans as Chinnie Arroyo paced the offense with nine points, while Jovelyn Gonzaga and Alyanna Ong chipped in eight each. 

     

    Dela Cruz and Rachel Anne Daquis contributed six markers apiece, while Kate Santiago, Zam Nolasco, AC Miner, and Riza Nogales all added five points, highlighting the team’s distributed scoring attack.

     

    Dela Cruz credited Yee’s willingness to constantly rotate his players for helping everyone stay involved.

     

    “Today, talagang binabalasa rin talaga ni coach (Jerry) ‘yung mga tao. Makikita rin naman kahit sa other teams, ganun ‘yung ginagawa,” Dela Cruz explained.

     

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    Yee said the frequent lineup adjustments are intentional as the team continues to build chemistry with several new faces and players adapting to different responsibilities.

     

    “We’re trying to practice our rotation. Marami kaming bago, mga bagong position, so we’d like to practice and get them some playing time,” said Yee.

     

    “I’d like to say na masaya ako at nagre-respond sila sa mga changes, but siyempre, marami pa rin kaming adjustments na kailangang gawin,” he added.

     

    The Thunderbelles have now opened the tournament with consecutive victories after also defeating Akari in their opener in Isabela, with their disciplined net defense and balanced offense emerging as early trademarks.

     

    ZUS Coffee will now have ample time to continue refining its chemistry before returning to action on Aug. 8, when it faces the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the next leg of the PVL On Tour in the City of Santiago.

     

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  • Fresh start fuels Jolina Dela Cruz as ZUS Coffee opens PVL On Tour with win over Akari 

    Fresh start fuels Jolina Dela Cruz as ZUS Coffee opens PVL On Tour with win over Akari 

    For Jolina Dela Cruz, changing teams was about more than wearing a different jersey—it was about finding the confidence and opportunity she felt had slipped away.


    That decision immediately paid off on Wednesday as Dela Cruz impressed in her ZUS Coffee debut, helping the Thunderbelles defeat the Akari Chargers, 25-11, 25-23, 26-28, 25-17, to kick off their Premier Volleyball League On Tour campaign at the Capital Arena.

     

    After her contract with Farm Fresh expired, the former De La Salle standout was offered an extension by the Foxies. Instead of staying, she chose to pursue a fresh challenge, believing a move to ZUS Coffee would provide the chance to reclaim the form that once made her one of the league’s brightest young outside hitters.

     

    Her first match with the Thunderbelles offered an encouraging glimpse of that potential.

    Dela Cruz contributed 12 points while anchoring the team’s passing game with 13 excellent receptions, providing the all-around performance ZUS Coffee needed to secure an impressive opening victory under head coach Jerry Yee.

     

    The performance was especially meaningful for Dela Cruz after a difficult stretch with Farm Fresh.

     

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    She joined the Foxies in 2024 following the disbandment of F2 Logistics but had to delay her debut as she recovered from a torn ACL in her right knee. Although she made an immediate impact upon returning, her opportunities gradually became limited as Farm Fresh continued experimenting with different lineups.

     

    Rather than settle for a reduced role, Dela Cruz decided it was time for a new beginning.

     

    “Ayun nga, tapos na rin naman ‘yung contract ko with Farm Fresh and that time dapat i-renew rin (nila ako). Pero ayun nga, nag-request na rin ako na (‘wag na),” Dela Cruz said.

     

    More than anything, the move was driven by her desire to regain the belief she once had in her game.

     

    “Siyempre, una, ‘yung kumpiyansa talaga kasi last conference rin. Ang hirap din ng kumpiyansa; wala rin talagang playing time that time. So eto, super big opportunity ‘to talaga para sa akin,” the former DLSU Lady Spikers standout said.

     

    With the trust of Yee and her new teammates, Dela Cruz now hopes her debut is only the beginning of a steady climb back to peak form as she embraces a bigger role with the Thunderbelles.

     

    The victory also earned ZUS Coffee P100,000 under the PVL On Tour incentive program, while Akari received P50,000 as the losing team.

     

    The Thunderbelles continue their campaign against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on July 11 in Batangas City, while Akari looks to bounce back when it faces the same opponent on August 1 in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

     

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