Farm Fresh head coach Alessandro Lodi praised middle blocker Lorene Toring as one of the team’s most improved players after her 11-point performance in the Foxies’ straight-sets win over Galeries Tower.
RODRIGUEZ, Rizal — Slowly but surely, Lorene Toring is finding her form for Farm Fresh.
The 25-year-old middle blocker finished with 11 points built on seven attacks and four blocks, helping the Foxies roll to a 25-23, 25-13, 25-11 victory over the Galeries Tower Highrisers in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
“I'm just [sticking] to the program, with coach, sobrang laki ng tiwala ko sa coaches, teammates, and 'yon, nakikinig lang kami sa advices ng coaches namin. Hindi namin mina-mind outside noise,” Toring said during the post-game press conference.
Most improved player
Toring’s performance earned the praise of head coach Alessandro Lodi, who did not hesitate to call her as one the team’s most improved players.
“We're going to take everyone seriously and work our tails off to be the most improved teams. To be one of the most improved teams. And we do have some of the most improved players also. This [Lorene] is one of them,” Lodi said.
Lorene Toring spikes the ball in Farm Fresh's sweep of Galeries Tower. | Photo: PVL
The Italian tactician emphasized that while Toring may not always command attention with flashy plays, her consistency and discipline have made a major impact for the Foxies, who have taken over as the no. 1 team with a 6-1 record and 18 points.
“[She] might not be the most spectacular player but if you look really play-by-play at the quality that she brings—the blocking work she does, how she improved her serve, everything she does, “ he explained.
“She’s not the only one on our team. There’s many. But when you have those type of people, then you’re not an easy team to beat,” Lodi added.
Still a work in progress
For her part, Toring, who dealt with a knee injury to start her PVL career, welcomed coach Lodi’s praise but made it clear her focus is on continuing to grow.
“Well, para sa ’kin, madami pa ’kong iwo-work on. Pero getting there naman,” she said.
The former Adamson standout shared how Lodi’s arrival reset the team’s fundamentals and pushed her to be more patient with her development.
“Nung pagdating kasi ni coach, as in back to zero kami lahat — serving, footworks ganyan. Tinaasan ko lang patience ko, na makukuha ko rin ’yung gusto ni coach.”
Last up for Toring and the Foxies in the second round will be the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Thursday, November 20, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
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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.