The PLDT High Speed Hitters join an exclusive club after ruling the 2025 PVL Invitational Conference.
Two weeks were all that the PLDT High Speed Hitters needed to win another Premier Volleyball League championship.
Shortly after ruling the inaugural PVL on Tour, PLDT added a PVL Invitational Conference championship to their trophy case after overcoming Kobe Shinwa University 21-25, 31-29, 25-22, 25-18 on Sunday, August 31 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Conference Most Valuable Player Savi Davison led PLDT’s repeat bid with a near triple-double of 20 points, 18 receptions, and nine digs. Kianna Dy continued her reintroduction tour with 17 points to backstop Davison’s 20, while Alleiah Malaluan finished with 15 points to cap off her rookie conference on a winning note.
Finals MVP Kath Arado continued to be the High Speed Hitters’ defensive anchor, recording 22 digs in a game that involved several long rallies and impressive floor defense.
“In fairness talaga Kobe din, compared nung nakalaban namin sila sa eliminations, sobrang pinaghandaan today. Yung level nila yung gusto namin talaga magaya na ganon katyaga, ganon kabilis,” head coach Rald Ricafort said.
It was a back-and-forth Set 2 that gave PLDT momentum against the Japanese challengers, who relied on their speed and floor defense to take the opener. From here, PLDT would stay in step, starting with a third set where they capitalized on Kobe Shinwa’s late-game errors.
By Set 4, it was all PLDT as Kobe Shinwa ran out of steam, with Davison and company taking advantage in order to solidify their grasp on a PVL title repeat. In a full-circle moment, it was another Dy block that ultimately secured the Invitational Conference for the High Speed Hitters.
Despite being outpaced by Kobe Shinwa in attacks (71-58), it was PLDT’s net defense that spelled the difference, recording 11 blocks as the Japanese squad struggled to put up their own net defense.
Errors were also crucial in the High Speed Hitters’ victory, as they greatly benefited from Kobe Shinwa’s 30 unforced lapses. In a show of composure, PLDT only committed 18 errors in the two-hour-long contest.
“Going into this game naman talaga, ‘yung focus tsaka yung patience namin mate-test kasi sobrang hirap nilang kalaro. ‘Yun lang talaga siguro, sumabay din yung mga good breaks, lalo noong nag third and fourth,” Ricafort said.
By ruling the Invitationals, PLDT also became the PVL’s third multi-titled team, joining an exclusive club that includes 10-time champions Creamline Cool Smashers and the Petro Gazz Angels with their own hat trick of titles.
The High Speed Hitters also extended their franchise-best winning streak to 13 as they completed their unbeaten run in the one-week Invitationals. This, even as they battled fatigue and the need to play through a compressed schedule throughout the short but sweet tournament.
But as true champions, PLDT persevered, and even if Kobe Shinwa was a different beast compared to the elimination rounds, it was their poise that ultimately spelled the difference come the title fight.
After several years filled with heartbreaks and regrets, the High Speed Hitters have finally turned things around, establishing themselves as legitimate contenders for a PVL championship.
And if these last two conferences are an indicator, we might just see the High Speed Hitters competing for a third-straight title once the league returns this October.
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.