PLDT stormed into its first-ever Premier Volleyball League Finals in thrilling fashion – rallying from a 1-2 set deficit against a dynastic Creamline side and stunning the crowd-favorite Cool Smashers in a gripping five-set classic, 27-25, 22-25, 19-25, 25-16, 15-10.
Even more remarkable, the High Speed Hitters punched their ticket to the PVL On Tour one-game championship match on the back of a flawless seven-game sweep, silencing critics and shaking up the league’s power structure in one unforgettable night at the Araneta Coliseum Tuesday.
Creamline, poised to march into another Finals appearance after going up two sets to one, looked in control. But PLDT’s grit and resilience took over – a team that had never before lost two sets in a single match during their perfect run now used that very moment of adversity as fuel.
They roared back with a dominant fourth set, flipping the script, then tore through the Cool Smashers in the fifth – leaving a stunned crowd in disbelief as the 10-time league champions collapsed under pressure.
Savi Davison provided the finishing touches in the decider, erupting for eight of her 34 points in Set 5 alone, including the first three and the final four – capped by a booming crosscourt kill that pierced through two Creamline defenders and sealed the emotional win in two hours and 12 minutes of fierce action.
The Cool Smashers had clawed within one, 9-10, after an Alyssa Valdez kill that briefly reignited the Creamline faithful. But Davison answered with three clutch hits, each blow silencing the crowd a little more until only PLDT’s cheers remained.
A Valdez attack error put PLDT at match point, and although Michele Gumabao saved one, Davison would not be denied – slamming the door shut with a final, emphatic strike.
“This is hard work, sweat and tears,” exclaimed Davison, who claimed the Best Player of the Game honor amid a roaring PLDT celebration. “It’s a very light feeling and I love every part of it.”
Despite being outcheered by the sea of Creamline supporters, Davison praised their own fan base for standing firm:
“It’s a community win,” she said, pointing to the unwavering support that carried the High Speed Hitters through the pressure-cooker of the preseason tourney.
Awaiting PLDT in Sunday’s one-game finale at 6:30 p.m. are the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, who earlier dispatched the Cignal HD Spikers in four sets to clinch the first Finals berth.
Creamline and Cignal will battle for bronze at 4 p.m.
Kim Dy provided ample support to Davison’s explosive outing with 14 points, while Majoy Baron chipped in nine markers, highlighted by three solid kill blocks. Jovie Prado and Mika Reyes added eight points apiece in PLDT’s balanced offensive effort.
Davison not only delivered on offense but also showcased her all-around game, finishing with nine excellent digs and nine excellent receptions.
At the heart of PLDT’s composed execution was veteran setter Kim Fajardo, who stood toe-to-toe with Creamline’s Kyle Negrito. Fajardo tallied 25 excellent sets, just edging Negrito by one, to anchor PLDT’s smooth offensive flow.
Statistically, the two teams were nearly dead even in scoring, with PLDT narrowly outgunning Creamline in attacks, 61-58. The Cool Smashers edged the High Speed Hitters in blocks, 10-9, and had more service aces, 7-5.
But where PLDT made the real difference was in capitalizing on free points, scoring 33 off Creamline’s errors while yielding just 26 of their own.
Creamline’s big guns delivered as expected – Jema Galanza and Valdez each finished with 18 points, Gumabao had 16, and Pangs Panaga added 11. On any other night, those numbers would have been enough.
But not against a PLDT side that, even after dropping two sets for the first time all tournament, refused to crack under pressure and proved it simply doesn’t know how to lose in this preseason run of the league organized by Sports Vision. pvl.ph
