Photo credit: PVL

What began as a showcase of sheer dominance at the net and firepower in the middle turned into a grueling test of nerve, grit, and resilience. But when the dust settled, the PLDT High Speed Hitters proved they were more than just a team of muscle and talent – they were champions forged by heartbreak.

For a squad untested in winner-take-all pressure, squandering a 2-0 lead against Chery Tiggo could have been the breaking point. The moment felt like a trapdoor: one misstep and the collapse would be complete.

Instead, PLDT stormed back like future champions do – composed, fearless, and ferocious. And in that decisive fifth set, they didn’t blink.

Savi Davison’s explosive scoring helped tilt the momentum, but it was the Hitters’ trusted formula that sealed the deal: airtight blocking, clever middle strikes, and relentless pressure at the net.
Mika Reyes led the charge with a flurry of kills, punctuated by Majoy Baron’s kill block, another clutch denial from Reyes, and a searing crosscourt hammer from Kim Dy that broke Chery Tiggo’s spirit.

What many expected to be a nerve-wracking decider turned into a statement. PLDT ran away with the final set, 15-8, capping a thrilling 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8 triumph before more than 11,000 roaring fans at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was a moment years in the making. Long haunted by missed chances and painful exits – none more bitter than last year’s controversial semifinal heartbreak – PLDT finally broke through.
“I’m not a religious person,” admitted head coach Rald Ricafort in Filipino, “but I understood the prayer we always shared – that this team would grow tougher. All the near-misses, all the heartbreaks, I now see them as necessary. They prepared us for this.”

Ricafort credited both the stars and the supporting cast, highlighting not just Reyes and Davison’s brilliance but also the team’s sheer grip on the match. “What I’m most proud of is the refusal to let go. This one’s sweet because we’ve been chasing this for so long,” he said.

Though billed as a preseason tournament, the title carried the weight of redemption – and a declaration of intent. PLDT finished with a perfect eight-game sweep, capped by back-to-back five-set wins.

For Reyes, who was named Finals MVP, the victory hinged on mental toughness. “Our coaches always remind us to stay present. No lead is safe. Even up two sets, we didn’t assume it was ours. I’m just grateful we held on – to each other, to the moment,” she said.

Davison, ever the force of energy, downplayed her individual impact. “This team is a threat from every angle,” she said. “People ask me why I chose PLDT, and my answer is simple – it’s either PLDT or nothing. This team is my family.”

Kim Dy, returning from a career-threatening injury, couldn’t hide her emotion. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for over a year. It wasn’t easy – blood, sweat, and tears. But here we are, champions.”

Baron echoed the sentiment: “We were tested until the very end. Every conference, we learned something new. This is the reward for the process.”

And at the heart of it all was the steady hand of veteran setter Kim Fajardo and the iron defense of libero Kath Arado, whose saves against Chery Tiggo’s heavy hitters gave PLDT the breathing room it needed.

“This wasn’t just a win,” Arado reflected. “What we showed on the court is everything we sacrificed in training, every ounce of patience, every moment of commitment. I’m so proud we did it together.”

PLDT’s victory was more than a championship. It was a reckoning. Proof that scars can become strength – and that the sweetest triumphs are those that nearly slipped away.

Because in that final, unforgiving fifth set, PLDT didn’t just rely on skill. They drew from every heartbreak, every “almost,” every unanswered prayer – and finally turned it into redemption.