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CEBU City – In a match it could afford to lose, PLDT still came out firing on all cylinders, turning what could’ve been a relaxed outing into another showcase of its relentless form.
The High Speed Hitters blasted past a reeling Galeries Tower side, 25-20, 25-14, 25-17, to complete a clean sweep of Pool A and formalize their entry into the quarterfinals of the PVL On Tour at the USJ-R Coliseum here on Sunday, July 27.
Less than 24 hours after securing a gritty straight-set win over fellow previously unbeaten Nxled to clinch a quarterfinal berth, PLDT showed no signs of letting up. Instead, the High Speed Hitters imposed their will even more convincingly, shaking off a jittery opening set before unleashing a masterclass in system-driven volleyball in the next two frames to emerge the lone unbeaten team in the pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Their deep rotation, airtight net defense and efficient floor coverage once again proved too much for the overmatched Highrisers. PLDT’s poise, timing and all-around cohesion reflected a team in championship form – one that treated every point with urgency despite already having secured their next-round slot.
In contrast, Galeries Tower limped out of the preliminaries without a single win to show for its campaign. The Highrisers opened each set with a semblance of fire, briefly rattling PLDT with aggressive serving and inspired attacks. But the early surges quickly fizzled out as errors piled up and confidence dwindled in the face of PLDT’s steady climb and overwhelming counterattack.
The second and third sets followed a similar script – Galeries Tower briefly threatening before getting buried by a High Speed Hitters squad that simply played at a different gear.
Kim Fajardo orchestrated PLDT’s offense with precision, dishing out 17 excellent sets to outplay counterpart Ivy Perez, who managed only nine. Fajardo’s sharp playmaking set up the High Speed Hitters’ top scorers, led by Kim Dy with 12 points, while Mika Reyes and Jovielyn Prado chipped in 10 markers apiece.
Majoy Baron and Kiesha Bedonia scored seven and six points, respectively, as PLDT dominated Galeries Tower in attacks, 46-33, in the one-hour and 24-minute match.
While the Highrisers managed to outblock PLDT, 5-4, the High Speed Hitters more than compensated by capitalizing on their opponents' errors. PLDT racked up 23 points off Galeries Tower’s miscues while conceding just 12 of their own.
Rookie Jean Asis and France Ronquillo led Galeries Tower with 11 points apiece, while Jewel Encarnacion and Ysa Jimenez added seven and six, respectively, for the Highrisers, who will now head to the knockout phase still searching for a breakthrough.
Trailing majority of the opening set, the High Speed Hitters never wavered, staying composed and biding their time before capitalizing on the Highrisers' miscues on both ends.
Down 15-17, PLDT mounted a decisive 10-3 closing run, sparked by the efforts of Prado, Dy and Reyes. Libero Kath Arado even chipped in a rare but brilliant placement shot after a solid dig off a blazing Galeries Tower attack, giving PLDT a 19-18 edge – one they wouldn’t surrender.
Back-to-back net violations by Jimenez padded the High Speed Hitters’ cushion. Though Galeries momentarily cut the deficit to one at 21-20 off a Fajardo service error and a Jimenez off-speed crosscourt hit, that proved to be their final push.
PLDT responded with a 4-0 finishing kick, capped by two more points from Prado and Reyes’ signature quick attack to seal the 1-0 set lead.
Galeries Tower came out in Set 2 determined to bounce back. After engaging PLDT in a tight early exchange, however, the Highrisers began to falter – struggling with unforced errors and misfired attacks that they couldn't afford.
When Jimenez's attack sailed long, handing PLDT a 14-8 cushion, Galeries coach Lerma Giron called for time and, almost pleading, urged her team - especially Jimenez – to step up and deliver.
But PLDT showed no signs of letting up. Refusing to give the Highrisers any breathing room, the High Speed Hitters unleashed a six-point blitz, extending their lead to 21-12. Reyes spearheaded the assault with a mix of sharp pushes, quick hits and timely drop balls that consistently caught Galeries Towers' defense off guard.
Dy then unleashed a thunderous kill to bring PLDT to set point, before Ronquillo’s long attack sealed the frame in favor of the relentless High Speed Hitters.
Set 3 saw Galeries Tower once again come out with urgency, racing to a 6-2 lead and holding an 8-5 advantage at the technical timeout. But PLDT emerged from the huddle with renewed intensity, unleashing a five-point barrage capped by a thunderous kill from Dy on her third attempt to knot the count at 8. A costly error from Galeries Tower handed the lead to the High Speed Hitters, who never looked back, methodically pulling away to complete the sweep with a commanding eight-point victory.
