MANILA—In an absolute cardiac arrest of a match, the PhilHealth Health Insurers pulled off a monumental upset, dragging the defending champion PNP Lady Patrollers through a grueling five-set war before claiming a nerve-racking victory on June 17 at the Paco Arena. 

Refusing to back down against the league’s champion, PhilHealth traded heavy blows in an exhausting see-saw battle, trading sets until a dramatic, extra-points 16-14 finish in the deciding fifth set sealed the triumph. 

The final scoreline of 20-25, 25-11, 25-20, 17-25, 16-14 was a testament to a gritty squad that refused to let their championship dreams die.

At the epicenter of this historic earthquake was Criselda Rondina, who dominated the must-win game to breathe life back into PhilHealth’s campaign. 

Earning Player of the Game honors, Rondina unleashed a furious 18-point performance built on 17 devastating attacks and a crucial ace. 

"I believe po, the ball is round. So, lagi po kami sinasabihan ni Coach na dapat established po kami, strong mind, strong body, and strong heart. Yun po talaga yung pinanghahawakan namin kunglayout bakit nakuha po namin yung win today." Rondina shared post-game, reflecting on the team's unwavering spirit. 

With this gritty win, PhilHealth breathes a sigh of relief as they improve to a 1-1 standing in the single round-robin semifinals, keeping a very decent chance of booking a historic, first-ever ticket to the Finals if they can take down BFP in their next encounter. 

Meanwhile, a devastated PNP side finds themselves staring into the abyss with a disastrous 0-2 semis record. 

Having fought relentlessly to reach the Finals since Season 2 of the UVL, the Lady Patrollers are now on the brink of missing the championship round for the first time in two seasons—a catastrophic fate that will become reality if they falter against COMELEC on June 24.

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