MANILA, Philippines — The “Eya-Sisi Era” at Choco Mucho comes with sky-high expectations, but the duo is staying grounded by leaning into a bond that goes beyond the court.
Eya Laure and Sisi Rondina share a rich history long before becoming teammates with the Choco Mucho Flying Titans. The pair famously ended the University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) eight-year Finals drought in UAAP Season 81 and later reunited on the international stage with Alas Pilipinas in 2024.
While Rondina established herself as the Flying Titans' primary offensive weapon, leading the team to consecutive Finals appearances in 2023, Laure’s path was a little bit different. Despite an impressive start with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, she saw limited action for two years following her contract buyout in 2024.
Their long-awaited reunion in Choco Mucho jersey sparked massive hype—but it was not an easy path as after their opening game win against Akari, the team suffered three consecutive defeats in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
The two former UST stalwarts had an identical output of 18 points to allow Choco Mucho snap its three-game heartache.
"I just arrived at Choco [Mucho] and she just returned to indoor volleyball as well. So, we’re probably just there for each other—to remind one another of what we’re capable of and how well we truly know each other,” Laure shared on how she manages the high expectations that are set.
“It’s also about how to manage those moments when one of us is struggling. Having Sisi here is a huge deal for me." For Rondina, it’s about the unspoken things, where the two of them can only understand.
“It’s because we have these in-game gestures that we all understand… I think that’s actually our biggest connection with one another,” Rondina said. “It’s a good thing we’re able to bring that to the pros; even back in UST we were already doing that, and it’s great that we can still do it here in the pro league,” she added.
Laure and Rondina look to propel the Flying Titans to more wins after a 2-3 win-loss record in the preliminary round of the All-Filipino Conference.