High Speed Hitters Edge Past Foxies to Secure Semifinal Spot

Top-seeded PLDT bounced back from a slow start and withstood a gritty Farm Fresh squad to earn their place in the semifinals of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference. The High Speed Hitters triumphed in four sets, 18-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-22, on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

PLDT struggled early, losing the first set to the fourth-seeded Foxies, but quickly regained their composure in a tense second set.

By the third set, PLDT went on a dominant 16-3 run to turn a 9-12 deficit into a commanding 25-15 victory, taking a 2-1 lead.

The fourth set was closely contested early on, but PLDT gradually pulled away to a 23-17 lead with key plays from Savannah Davison and Kianna Dy.

Farm Fresh mounted a late comeback, narrowing the gap to 22-24 with a 5-1 rally spearheaded by Ces Molina and Trisha Tubu. However, Davison, overcoming earlier mistakes, secured the match-winning point to seal the 3-1 victory after 1 hour and 48 minutes.

“We anticipated that it would be a tough game, that was our first thought. Secondly, we took lessons from our previous match, particularly on how we react in pressure situations,” said PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort. “That’s what we focused on during our training, and fortunately, it paid off. Also, the contributions from our bench were crucial, so we’re happy to have secured the win.”

Davison led the charge with 22 points, including 17 attacks and five kill blocks, along with 11 excellent receptions. Dy added 19 points, including 17 attacks, an ace, a block, and six digs.

Majoy Baron and Alleiah Malaluan contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Kath Arado anchored the defense with 27 excellent receptions and 18 digs. Kim Fajardo expertly set up the offense, recording 28 excellent sets along with two points.

For Farm Fresh, Tubu was the standout performer, registering a game-high 25 points from 22 attacks and three blocks, but was unable to lead her team through the critical moments. Ces Molina added a double-double of 14 points and 11 digs, while Royse Tubino contributed 10 points and 16 excellent receptions.

Riri Meneses chipped in eight points, and Alohi-Robins Hardy led the offense with 25 excellent sets and four points. Alyssa Bertolano and Bia General also played crucial roles defensively, with 10 digs and 11 receptions, respectively.

With the victory, PLDT ended Farm Fresh’s three-game winning streak and clinched the first semifinal spot. Farm Fresh will now face either fifth-seeded Nxled or ninth-ranked Galeries Tower in a play-in round for a chance to advance to the semifinals.