ZUS Coffee’s Anna DeBeer and Choco Mucho’s Marlee Smith expressed pride in their teams’ opening wins and are now more eager than ever to finally make their PVL debuts.
After watching their teams open the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference from the sidelines, foreign guest players Anna DeBeer of ZUS Coffee and Marlee Smith of Choco Mucho are more determined than ever to finally make their league debut.
Both DeBeer and Smith were among the imports affected by the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) issue that prevented foreign players from seeing action on opening day.
During the conference opener on Tuesday, the PVL said the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) had yet to sign the ITCs needed to greenlight the foreign guest players' participation.
Despite their absence, their respective teams still came away with victories — with ZUS Coffee rallying past Akari and Choco Mucho sweeping Capital1.
[ALSO READ: Miner, Eroa unfazed by import absence in ZUS Coffee's PVL Reinforced opening win vs Akari]
DeBeer, a University of Louisville standout now suiting up for the Thunderbelles, admitted she was frustrated about sitting out the match but remained focused on supporting her teammates.
“I’d really not like to talk about it. I wasn’t very happy, obviously, but it’s just the way it is, so it’s out of my control,” she told One Sports. “I’m so proud of them. I knew they would give up a great fight like they always do in practice, so I had no doubt that we would give it our all, and I’m glad that we came out with a win.”
Fortunately, the PNVF has signed the ITCs as of 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, allowing teams to field their imports for the Reinforced Conference.
The PVL has even decided to replay the opening day games to a later date to ensure fairness among teams.
Now that her debut looms, DeBeer shared that her preparation remains the same.
“We just have to work hard and focus on our side,” she added. “I don’t know a ton about these teams, so I’ll have to do a little research, and we have great coaches and a great scouting team to help us prepare.”
Smith echoed similar sentiments, describing her mixed emotions as she watched the Flying Titans’ opening-day win over Capital1 from the bench.
“It was kind of sad, frustrated, but I believe in my team,” said Smith, who previously played for Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima QminC in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League. “I knew they could pull through with or without me. I’m just proud of them.”
[ALSO READ: Dante Alinsunurin ecstatic to have healthy Choco Mucho squad in PVL Reinforced Conference]
The 26-year-old American spiker praised her Choco Mucho teammates for staying composed amid tight moments and pulling off a sweep to start the season on a high note.
“There were stressful moments, maybe some moments where they didn’t feel as confident, but they pulled through pretty well and we got the win,” she said.
Both DeBeer and Smith are expected to finally make their PVL debut in the coming days.
ZUS Coffee will face the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Saturday at the City of Dasmariñas Arena. Meanwhile, Choco Mucho goes up against the Cignal HD Spikers on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.