MANILA, Philippines — Back in 2019, everything was plain and simple for Eya Laure and Sisi Rondina—study and play for the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses—seven years later, a lot has changed.
Laure and Rondina teamed up in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for the Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team. Last Jan. 31, they officially teamed up for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
The two former UST stalwarts led the Flying Titans to victory as Rondina led the scoring with 16 points, while Laure added 11 points for a straight-set victory, 25-17, 25-23, 25-20, against the Akari Chargers.
Having a history of playing in the UAAP women’s volleyball finals in UAAP Season 81, Laure and Rondina have grown so much since then.
“I think it’s the national team experience we gained. Because before, it was just UST. It was only after UST, after UAAP Season 81, that I had my first national team experience, and that was also when she first experienced playing beach volleyball,” Laure told the media in Filipino.
"The experience we gained internationally, plus being teammates in Alas Pilipinas last year—those are the things that helped us really understand each other's game."
Rondina copped the historic gold in beach volleyball of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand while Laure was a steady anchor of the Alas Pilipinas women's indoor volleyball team.
Laure was in the woods for almost two years after her contract buyout with the now-defunct Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
Having a new home with the heavily favored Flying Titans, she now enjoys the support from the crowd.
“The crowd is really something else. And of course, playing in the PVL hits differently now. The level of competition has definitely stepped up, especially with all the reinforcements in the other teams, not just ours. I'm just really happy to be here with Choco Mucho and to be part of Coach Dante (Alinsunurin)’s system."
The 26-year-old Laure expressed that having Rondina on her side makes it all different, especially now that they are playing on the same side of the court.
"I really missed this. It’s such a big deal having them by my side again. We're diagonal from each other like that, they just really need to help out with the [service] receive."
She even had a playful banter with Rondina, stressing how the pint-size gunner “has no receive.”
“But you know that’s the thing about us, we can say or talk about a lot of things. We make up for each other’s shortcomings. There’s always an open communication from the two of us,” she shared.
Choco Mucho will next face the Cignal Super Spikers on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.