AFTER years of near misses, the PLDT High Speed Hitters finally capitalized on their breakthrough finals appearance in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour, clinching their maiden championship title on Sunday.
There’s no question that reaching the finals had been a long-time dream for the team, and when they finally got there, the High Speed Hitters made sure to deliver a performance their supporters would never forget.
Before a lively crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, PLDT was pushed to the limit by the Chery Tiggo Crossovers but held firm to secure a thrilling five-set win, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8.
The Rald Ricafort-led squad completed an undefeated campaign—PLDT’s best showing in a PVL conference—after sweeping the group stage with a 5-0 record and later overcoming Zus Coffee and Creamline in the playoffs.
Champions, At Last
The High Speed Hitters appeared firmly in control early on, dominating the first two sets and quickly building a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Just when a straight-set sweep seemed inevitable, the Crossovers stormed back to take the third set. In the fourth, PLDT even reached championship point, but Chery Tiggo pulled off another comeback to force a deciding fifth set.
That’s when Majoy Baron and Mika Reyes stepped up with crucial blocks midway through the final frame — most notably Baron’s consecutive denials of Ara Galang, which propelled PLDT to an 8-3 lead.
From that point on, there was no turning back. A powerful crosscourt kill by Kianna Dy made it 12-5, and after timely plays from Kiesha Bedonia and Reyes off a Chery Tiggo over-receive, PLDT found itself back at championship point.
The Crossovers managed to fend off three match points, stretching the drama — but not changing the ending. Fittingly, it was Dy who sealed the deal with a block on Cess Robles after a tense rally, completing PLDT’s long-awaited rise to the PVL summit.
All-Out Finals
Savi Davison led all scorers with 23 points, all coming from attacks, while also tallying nine excellent receptions. Reyes backed her up with a Finals MVP-worthy performance of 20 points, highlighted by a record-setting seven blocks.
“Happy at nakaka-proud na hanggang sa last set, ipinakita ng girls ‘yung gusto naming mangyari na tumibay saka tumapang. Very proud na naka-perform. Si Mika grabe ‘yung nilaro kanina. Si Sav, the usual,” Ricafort said.
Dy and Baron chipped in 13 points apiece, while Kath Arado anchored the defense with 29 excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions. Kim Fajardo masterfully ran the offense, finishing with 25 excellent sets to steer the team to the title.
On the other hand, Chery Tiggo may have fallen short, but it was still a proud showing. Galang led the charge with 22 points and eight excellent digs in her first PVL finals appearance, while Robles added 12 points and matched her with eight digs.
