The PLDT High Speed Hitters start 2025 on the right foot after winning their grudge match against the Akari Chargers.
One of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference’s most anticipated matchups ended up being a clean sweep by the PLDT High Speed Hitters against the Akari Chargers over the weekend at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
It was a statement win for the High Speed Hitters, who breezed past the Chargers 25-22, 25-16, 25-15 nearly five months after their controversial meeting at the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference semifinals last August.
And given the emotional weight of that incident, PLDT’s coaching staff made sure to keep their players in check for Saturday’s rematch. More than the chance of getting even, what matters most now is getting a much-needed win to snap their two-game losing skid.
“Basta naging advice samin is tinanong kami kanina kung ano ‘yung feeling ng players, kung may dagdag motivation ba o wala, and niremind lang sa kanila na kung ano lang ‘yung extra [baggage], i-make sure lang nila na ‘yung focus hindi mawawala. So mas doon talaga nakatuon, ‘yung improvement namin tsaka ‘yung task at hand na ‘yung game na ito,” PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort explained post-game.
PLDT was at match point during the Reinforced Conference semis, before calling for a mid-rally net touch challenge against Akari’s Ezra Madrigal. However, their challenge was deemed unsuccessful, which allowed the Chargers to mount a successful comeback bid.
Like Ricafort, veteran middle blocker Majoy Baron stressed that Saturday’s game was about getting the win, which helped PLDT improve its record to four wins and two losses.
“Ako personally, hindi ko naman na dinadala kung ano ‘yung nangyari last year kasi iba naman ‘yung composition ng team namin ngayon and we’re just focused nga doon sa task and we play each game na same lang,” said Baron, who finished with 11 points on 61 percent attack efficiency against the Chargers.
“Level lang din ‘yung emotion kasi gusto nga namin talaga focus lang kami and magawa namin ‘yung job namin sa loob ng court.”

Ricafort and Baron, though, acknowledged that the controversy taught them to stay focused on the present, along with using it as a motivation to keep up with the PVL’s growing level of play.
“So hindi naman siya negative all throughout, pero mas tinignan namin siya as natutulungan kaming mas gumaling lalo dahil sa level na nirerequire samin. And ‘yun ‘yung dinadala ni Akari all throughout, nagiimprove every conference and nakakadamay kasi ‘yung ganon e, dahil umaangat ‘yung level ng mga teams, kailangan sumabay ka din lagi,” Ricafort said.
The PLDT High Speed Hitters now turn their focus to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on January 23, which will be aided by the “good momentum” they’ve built from this masterful performance against Akari.
“Katulad nung mga previous wins namin, at least makakaprepare kami nang may good momentum, positive momentum. Yun ‘yung challenge ng conference eh, ‘yung mamanage namin ‘yung schedule, ‘yung rest tsaka ‘yung preparation for the next game. Enough naman ‘yung araw, sadyang kailangan lang namin magmove on regardless para makafocus kami sa game,” said Ricafort.
‘Everybody has moved on’
In a separate interview, Akari stalwart Faith Nisperos vouched that the Chargers have also moved on from the five-month-old incident, and Saturday’s matchup was simply an off-night after failing to execute their gameplan against PLDT.
Nisperos was the lone double-digit scorer for Akari with a team-high 11 markers, while top gunner Ivy Lacsina struggled with a measly six kills in the one hour and 35-minute contest.
“I don’t think it played a role in our game today. And I think we were all on the same page na we moved on, we already set our target for today’s game and hindi lang namin na-achieve so that’s why we didn’t get the result that we wanted,” Nisperos reflected.
Akari now sits at the eighth spot with a 3-4 record, and has lost three of its last four games dating back to November 30 against the Farm Fresh Foxies. For Nisperos, reflecting and refocusing on their goal to prove themselves as legitimate contenders in the PVL.
“I think what we just need is to go back to our goal, and we’re just struggling right now to achieve that goal. And we just need to go back to training and work harder, work smarter and most importantly work together as a team,” she said.
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.