Cloanne Mondoñedo and the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles are 6-0 and safely through to the quarterfinals of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
In the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), great playmaking is synonymous with great team-building, which is why, simply put, the best teams almost always have the best setters.
Jia de Guzman, Kyle Negrito, Kim Fajardo, and Gel Cayuna are just some of the league's notable champion orchestrators today, and now, another one aims to claim that illustrious distinction: Cloanne Mondoñedo of the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, the only undefeated team left in the 2025 Reinforced Conference.
The multi-time NCAA titlist notched 27 excellent sets and four points in a gripping five-set reverse sweep of Akari, 23-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-12, 15-7, last Tuesday before tallying 26 more excellent sets plus three points in a 25-20, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19, conquest of Choco Mucho last Saturday in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.
For her efforts in leading ZUS Coffee to a franchise-best 6-0 conference start and its third-ever quarterfinals appearance, Mondoñedo cruised as the unanimous PVL Press Corps Player of the Week presented by Pilipinas Live for the period of November 4 to 8.
For Mondoñedo, it's not a matter of elevating her play so that others may rise to her level, but rather inspiring herself to catch up, exactly because her teammates are already doing so well.
"Makikita mo rin naman kasi sila na talagang...alam mo yun? Magiging motivated ka rin naman because of them, kasi makikita mo rin naman talaga na gusto nilang manalo," she said after beating Choco Mucho, also notable for a PVL record-tying 10-block outing from Maddie Madayag and a 7-block effort from Riza Nogales.
After Cignal's Erika Santos two weeks ago, Mondoñedo rises as only the league's second local player in this Reinforced Conference to win the weekly citation deliberated by print and online reporters covering the pioneering professional volleyball league organized by Sports Vision.
The former College of St. Benilde star and longtime Jerry Yee understudy edged out similarly strong performances from ZUS Coffee teammates Jovelyn Gonzaga and import Anna DeBeer, Capital1's Sasha Bytsenko, Cignal's KT Trebichavska, Creamline's Coco Schwan, and PLDT's Savi Davison for the award.
Moving forward, Mondoñedo preaches for more consistency as the Thunderbelles gaze at a golden opportunity for a maiden PVL championship just a few years removed from being a league laughingstock.
"Siguro gusto ko pa personally na kahit papano hindi na maging mahirap for us," she continued.
"So ako personally, gusto kong gawing mas better pa yung trabaho ko para maging madali rin for them yung job nila."
Though already assured of a playoff berth, Mondoñedo and the rest of the Thunderbelles still aim for a momentum-boosting 8-0 elimination round sweep, first against Cignal next Thursday, then against Nxled on November 18.
All games will be streamed live and on demand via the Pilipinas Live app and on www.pvl.ph.