IT was a long time coming – but when PLDT finally broke through, it did so in dramatic, nail-biting fashion.
Never mind that the High Speed Hitters squandered a 2-0 set lead. Never mind that the Chery Tiggo Crossovers seemed poised to complete a stunning turnaround. And never mind that the volleyball gods looked ready to flip the script.
Because when it came down to the moments that mattered, PLDT leaned on willpower, unshakable character and collective heart.
And the unstoppable force of their middle blockers.
Rattled and on the ropes after two straight set losses, the High Speed Hitters found their second wind in the decider, rekindling the ferocity and focus that had defined their dominant start. With their middle blockers leading the charge, PLDT dominated the fifth set to secure a historic 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8 victory over the tenacious Crossovers – clinching the PVL On Tour crown before a roaring Sunday crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The victory was made even sweeter as PLDT took home the top prize of PHP1 million. Chery Tiggo earned PHP750,000, while Creamline, which defeated Cignal to claim the bronze, received PHP500,000 – all courtesy of the organizing body, Sports Vision.
Meanwhile, Cignal’s Erika Santos was named the Most Valuable Player of the pre-season tournament, a bright spot in her team’s campaign.
“Kapit sa isa’t isa – that’s what kept us together,” said Mika Reyes amid the championship celebration. “Even when we were making errors and losing patience, we just held on to each other.”
Reyes, who also bagged the Finals MVP, delivered a finals-worthy performance with 20 points, anchoring PLDT’s composure amid a fierce two-hour and 20-minute battle between two of the league’s fastest-rising contenders. The title marked the franchise’s first-ever PVL championship – a moment of redemption years in the making.
“After everything we’ve been through, we finally got this championship,” said head coach Rald Ricafort in Filipino, whose voice cracked in gratitude for the team’s supporters. “The fans believed, and we believed in each other.”
Savi Davison, PLDT’s main scoring weapon all tournament long, closed her campaign in style, finishing with 23 points – outdueling Ara Galang, who had 22.
More than just a title win, the victory punctuated an immaculate eight-game sweep for the High Speed Hitters, a run built on grit, growth and quiet confidence.
Yet, it wasn’t without adversity.
After dropping Set 3 and falling behind in the fourth, PLDT was pushed to the brink by a resurgent Chery Tiggo side. Galang, Cess Robles, and the youthful duo of Renee Peñafiel and Jyne Soreño powered the Crossovers’ rally, bucking a championship point, 23-24, and forcing a fifth set that turned the match into a test of championship resolve.
But PLDT refused to fold.
Baron and Reyes turned the tide with key blocks midway through the final frame, the biggest being Baron’s back-to-back rejections of Galang, which gave the High Speed Hitters a commanding 8-3 lead.
From there, the momentum was irreversible. A Kim Dy crosscourt kill made it 12-5, and after contributions from Kiesha Bedonia and Reyes off a Chery Tiggo over-receive, PLDT arrived at championship point once more.
The Crossovers saved three match points, extending the suspense – but not the outcome. Fittingly, Dy ended it with a block on Robles after a tense exchange, sealing PLDT’s long-awaited ascent to the PVL throne.
Reyes’ 20-point explosion was backed by 13 apiece from Baron and Dy, highlighting PLDT’s depth. Setter Kim Fajardo was the unsung hero, racking up 25 excellent sets – more than doubling Chery Tiggo’s total, as the Crossovers rotated between Jasmine Nabor and Alina Bicar in a bid to find stability.
Despite falling short, the Crossovers showed fight to the end. Robles backed Galang with 12 points, Hernandez chipped in eight, and rookies Peñafiel and Soreño delivered six and five markers, respectively – proving their future remains bright.
But the moment belonged to PLDT.
From perennial contenders to champions at last, the High Speed Hitters completed their breakthrough campaign in the most fitting way: by overcoming adversity, silencing doubts and lifting the championship trophy they had long dreamed of. pvl.ph
