High Speed Hitters aim to secure No. 1 spot

Today's Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference preliminary phase concludes with two matches at the FilOil EcoOil Centre. At 4 p.m., PLDT faces Nxled, followed by ChocoMuchovs.ZUSCoffee at 6:30 p.m.

PLDT, currently in solo first place with a 7-1 record, aims to secure the No. 1 seed for the qualifying round by extending its four-game winning streak. A victory would guarantee them the top seeding and a matchup against the fourth-seeded team for a semifinal berth. The team is coming off a win against Choco Mucho, led by Savi Davison and Kim Kianna Dy.

Despite their strong position, PLDT coach Rald Ricafort emphasized the need to avoid complacency against Nxled. Nxled, composed largely of the core from last year's champion Petro Gazz, recently ended a four-game losing streak and holds a 4-4 record. Ricafort acknowledged the historical challenge of facing this group and noted the teams could meet again in the playoffs.

Nxled remains a dangerous opponent featuring players like Brooke Van Sickle and Myla Pablo. To have a chance at a top-four finish, Nxled needs a straight-sets or four-set victory and must rely on losses by both Creamline and Akari in their final games.

The second match features Choco Mucho, already bound for the play-in round, against the league's cellar-dweller, ZUS Coffee.