Courtesy: pvl.ph
ILAGAN, Isabela – Derailed in its sweep bid, PLDT regrouped midway through the fourth set and shut the door on Choco Mucho’s comeback hopes, carving out a 25-22, 25-16, 22-25, 25-17 win in the PVL On Tour at the Capital Arena here on Sunday night.
The High Speed Hitters looked on course for another straight-set victory after cruising through the first two frames. But complacency crept in as they squandered a six-point lead in Set 3 and allowed the Flying Titans to storm back behind Mean Mendrez and rookie Jen Villegas.
Despite the momentum shift, PLDT coach Rald Ricafort chose not to burn a timeout during Choco Mucho’s run, putting his full trust in his players. But when the Flying Titans reached set point on a Mendrez crosscourt hit, he finally called time.
Kiesha Bedonia briefly extended the set with an attack, only for PLDT to fold moments later as Des Cheng blocked Kim Dy to force a fourth frame, drawing cheers from the partisan crowd.
PLDT, however, restored order behind its middle attack, with Mika Reyes and Majoy Baron delivering back-to-back quick hits to spark a 14-10 lead in the fourth. Bedonia added a power tip to widen the gap, and the High Speed Hitters never looked back, finishing with an 11-7 closing run capped by a Reyes quick and Baron’s emphatic block on Ayesha Juegos.
“It was a total team effort – everyone worked today. And kudos to Choco Mucho for giving us a tough match,” said Dy, who continued her steady return from injury by scoring 15 points, including three blocks, to lead the balanced PLDT offense.
PLDT thus stayed perfect at 3-0 in Pool A, showing depth, balance and composure in the face of adversity.
Jovie Prado also delivered 15 points, while Baron and Bedonia chipped in 14 apiece, with Baron stamping her presence with six blocks. Reyes added 10 markers to round out a strong middle attack.
Prado and Bedonia also anchored PLDT’s floor defense with 13 excellent receptions and eight excellent digs, respectively, backing Kath Arado’s 28 digs and 14 receptions.
Choco Mucho, which dropped both its weekend matches via 1-3 scorelines, slid to 1-3 in Pool A. Still, the Flying Titans unearthed promising talents in Juegos and Villegas, who scored 13 and nine points, respectively, while Des Cheng and Royse Tubino contributed nine and six.
The Titans’ campaign took a major blow early in the second set when top gun Isa Molde exited the match after grimacing in pain upon landing on a PLDT blocker’s foot. She finished with two points and did not return. Veteran playmaker Jem Ferrer also left the match in the fourth set due to a minor foot injury.
Despite matching PLDT’s 53 attack points, Choco Mucho fell short in other departments. The High Speed Hitters dominated the net with a 13-5 blocking edge, led by Baron, and capitalized on the Flying Titans’ errors, scoring 27 points off miscues while yielding just 18 of their own.
Kim Fajardo also provided stability at the helm, dishing out 29 excellent sets, more than doubling Deanna Wong’s 12 for Choco Mucho.
With one foot firmly in the next round, PLDT has not only displayed dominance but also sent a clear message: this is a team not just winning, but dictating every match on its own terms.
The High Speed Hitters now head into another extended break before resuming their campaign in a marquee showdown against fellow unbeaten Nxled on July 26 in Cebu – a clash expected to have major implications in Pool A. PLDT will then cap its preliminary round stint with a match against winless Galeries Tower, aiming to complete a sweep and lock in an outright quarters seat. Pvl.ph
