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| Choco Mucho import Marlee Smith (23). Photo: PVL Images. |
Marlee Smith finally suited up for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, and wow, she wasted zero time showing why she’s one of the most hyped imports this PVL season.
Despite her debut nerves (and a red-hot PLDT squad), the American outside hitter still delivered a solid 20-point performance in their straight-sets loss, 21-25, 20-25, 19-25, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Galing!!! Lahat ng Choco Mucho naka touch ng bola!!! Mula block touch ni Dindin hanggang sa hulog ni Marlee!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻#PVL2025 Reinforced Conference pic.twitter.com/bRlgRoYAm9
— Daniel B. Bautista (@bautistadanielb) October 16, 2025
Even though the scoreboard didn’t favor Choco Mucho, Smith’s debut definitely gave fans a glimpse of what she can bring: power, presence, and pure grit.
“I didn’t even realize I scored 20,” she said with a grin. “For me to have an off game and still hit that number? I’ll take it. But I know I’ve got more in me.”
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| Choco Mucho's Marlee Smith (23) goes up for a spike against PLDT blockers. Photo: PVL Images. |
Originally slated to play earlier in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference, Smith had to wait for her international transfer papers to clear, which meant a delayed debut and, yep, extra anticipation.
“It was nerve-wracking,” she admitted. “But this first game helped me shake off the jitters. Now I know what to expect, especially from the crowd.”
WATCH: Marlee Smith after her debut for Choco Mucho. #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/Nz5ljhRstk
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) October 16, 2025
While PLDT’s defense made life tough for the Titans (no other Choco Mucho player scored more than four points), Smith remains optimistic. “We’ll learn from this, regroup, and come back better next game,” she said.
For someone who described herself as “too excited” to step onto the Araneta floor, Smith’s debut still screamed potential. And if this was her “off game”? PVL fans better buckle up, Marlee’s just getting started.