Unfazed by the surge of lower seeds, ZUS Coffee restored order in the form chart, blasting past Capital1 with a commanding 25-14, 25-20, 25-18 sweep to clinch the third semifinal berth in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Araneta Coliseum Monday night.

In a marquee duel between two of the league’s premier scorers, Anna DeBeer outgunned fellow superstar Sasha Bytsenko, erupting for 24 points to power the Thunderbelles to a swift one-hour, 22-minute triumph and into the Last Four of the year-ending conference organized by Sports Vision.

ZUS Coffee now awaits the winner of the PLDT–Cignal showdown – being played at presstime – for another win-or-go-home semis match on Thursday. The victor there will battle the winner of the Akari-Petro Gazz duel for Sunday’s one-game championship clash, all at the Big Dome.

Despite their advancement, coach Jerry Yee remained cautiously optimistic, mindful of the battles still ahead.

“Happy, but then may next few games pa. So, unfortunately, ang format, one loss and you’re out, so kailangan paghandaan talaga,” said ZUS Coffee coach Jerry Yee.

His tempered excitement underscored the urgency of the knockout semis and the razor-thin margin for error as ZUS Coffee continues its push toward a breakthrough finals berth.

Earlier, the No. 8 Akari Chargers and No. 5 Petro Gazz Angels electrified the knockout quarterfinals with stunning upsets of the top-seeded Farm Fresh Foxies (3-0) and the fourth-ranked and defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers (3-1), respectively, setting up an unlikely but riveting Final Four pairing.

But the No. 2 Thunderbelles, who have steadily risen from league newcomers to legitimate title threats, were in no mood to join the upset parade. Against No. 7 Capital1, ZUS Coffee controlled the first two sets with authority before weathering the Solar Spikers’ desperate push in the third.

The Solar Spikers stayed in step, even taking a 7-6 edge off a Bella Belen hit. They traded leads, forced repeated deadlocks, and showcased the grit of a team clinging to its last semis hope. But when the match hung in the balance, ZUS Coffee leaned on its most reliable brew – DeBeer’s late-set firepower, composure and relentless shot-making.

Despite admitting to pregame jitters, DeBeer delivered a near-effortless performance highlighted by a scorching 55 percent attack efficiency.

“I think it’s always good to have a little bit of nerve,” said DeBeer, who pumped in four of the team’s last five points. “When it comes to tournaments, it’s anyone’s game, so I’m proud of how we came out and how we played.”

Excitement brewed in her voice as she looked toward the semis.

“It’s getting more exciting and we’re getting closer. We’ll take it one game at a time – just like we have all conference. I’m really excited to see how we’re going to finish this out,” she said.

Playmaker Cloanne Mondonedo, the league’s statistical leader in excellent sets, again showed why she is the Thunderbelles’ heartbeat. Her 17 excellent sets orchestrated ZUS Coffee’s fluid offense, keeping DeBeer constantly in rhythm while slipping in clever deviations that repeatedly dismantled the Solar Spikers’ defensive reads.

After Chinnie Arroyo’s off-the-block blast pushed ZUS Coffee ahead 19-15, Capital1 coach Jorge de Brito called timeout, sensing danger. But the regrouping came too late – a mishit, followed by a clean Riza Nogales putaway off a Solar Spikers overpass, all but extinguishing the Solar Spikers’ rally.

From there, the aroma of victory was unmistakable.

Arroyo chipped in eight points, while Riza Nogales added seven markers and veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and AC Miner supplied six points each, giving ZUS Coffee a well-rounded arsenal that overwhelmed Capital1 from all angles.

The Thunderbelles’ 51-35 advantage in attacks laid the foundation for the rout, reflecting both their superior ball distribution and their confidence in swinging aggressively throughout the match.

On the other side, Bytsenko battled through early knee concerns to finish with 19 points, but the Solar Spikers struggled to generate consistent support around her. Belen, usually a steady scoring force in her impressive rookie campaign, was held to just nine points, far below her norm, while Leila Cruz managed six markers as Capital1 failed to keep pace with ZUS Coffee’s relentless offense.

What once began as a struggling expansion team has now matured into a finely crafted brew. From finishing last in its first two conferences in its 2023 rookie campaign, to a ninth-place All-Filipino finish in 2024-25, then a gradual climb to fifth in the PVL on Tour and sixth in the Invitational – the Thunderbelles have brewed their progress slowly, carefully, deliberately.

Now, their semis berth is the strongest proof yet that the blend is finally bold, balanced and ready for bigger stages.