Derailed the last time out, ZUS Coffee roared back with purpose, resuming its charge for the top seed in the PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinals with a commanding 25-13, 25-21, 25-21 sweep of Nxled at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rizal on Tuesday.

Needing just 78 minutes of controlled dominance, the Thunderbelles not only strengthened their bid for a more favorable knockout matchup but also sent a clear, emphatic message: they are determined to be counted among the league’s true title contenders.

Anna DeBeer finished with 16 points, while the locals took center stage – middle blocker AC Miner delivered 15 points, and Chinnie Arroyo and Kate Santiago added 10 and nine markers, respectively.

The Thunderbelles outclassed the Chameleons in all scoring fronts: 49 attack points to 36, six blocks to four, and three aces to two. It was a performance sharp enough to restore their rhythm, rebuild momentum and regain confidence ahead of what promises to be a chaotic, four-game knockout quarterfinal round on Monday.

Setter Cloanne Mondonedo also tuned up for the bigger battles ahead with 23 excellent sets – nearly doubling the output of her counterpart Jaja Maraguinot, who tallied 13. Santiago also held her own defensively with nine excellent digs and eight receptions, while DeBeer anchored the floor with 11 excellent digs, allowing Mondonedo to orchestrate the offense smoothly throughout the abbreviated contest.

Nxled, meanwhile, wrapped up its forgettable campaign with an 0-8 record, winning just five sets all tournament long. Paola Martinez led the Chameleons with 15 points, Lyann de Guzman added 10, and Chiara Permentilla chipped in nine.

De Guzman also impressed on defense with 11 excellent digs and 11 receptions, while Martinez and Permentilla tallied eight digs and 12 receptions, respectively.

“It was a good win for us – just to get some confidence back after our last game,” said DeBeer. “We came in, worked hard, and we’re getting ready for the quarterfinals.”

Miner echoed the sentiment, calling the bounce-back victory “great.”

“I’m very happy for the team,” she said. “It’s really great. Now we’re heading into the quarterfinals with a lot more confidence.”

Barely noticed in its turbulent rookie season, ZUS Coffee has transformed into one of the PVL’s most compelling stories this year. With an A-1 reinforcement in DeBeer and a revitalized local cast composed of a sharp mix of veterans, sophomores and rookies – Jovelyn Gonzaga, Arroyo, Miner, Gagate, Riza Nogales and Mondonedo – the Thunderbelles have not just exceeded expectations; they have rewritten them.

And their drive is unmistakable – this is a group intent on proving they are not a feel-good story or a short-term surprise, but a legitimate threat with championship ambitions. Every rally, every defensive stand, every transition play reflects a team bent on erasing memories of last year’s struggles and replacing them with a new identity – one built on grit, cohesion and the hunger to win no matter what stands in their way.

ZUS Coffee had actually been on track for a clean sweep of the two-stage eliminations until it ran into a resurgent Cignal side last Thursday, falling in straight sets. That stumble cracked the race for the No. 1 spot wide open, drawing PLDT and Farm Fresh into a tight late chase for the top seed.

With Tuesday’s sweep of Nxled, ZUS Coffee surged to 20 points – currently the best mark in the standings. But PLDT and Farm Fresh – with identical 18 points – can still eclipse that total with straight- or four-set wins over Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo in Thursday’s final prelim matches.

If ZUS Coffee ultimately settles at No. 3, the Thunderbelles are projected to face No. 6 Cignal in the knockout quarters – though that could still shift depending on the outcomes of the Akari and Petro Gazz matches.

Regardless of placement, ZUS Coffee has made its intention unmistakable – the Thunderbelles are ready to take on any contender, any style, any obstacle. They want the toughest paths, the toughest opponents – because they want to prove that this run is no fluke, and that their championship aspirations are grounded not in momentum, but in merit.

The Thunderbelles are not just chasing a title – they’re determined to show they deserve to be in that conversation, every which way they can.