High Speed Hitters defend top spot vs. Titans; Super Spikers chase QR berth

Standings	W	L	Points
PLDT	6	1	17
Cignal	5	2	16
Creamline	5	2	14
Akari	4	3	12
Nxled	4	4	12
Farm Fresh	3	4	11
Choco Mucho	3	4	10
Capital1	3	4	7
Galeries Tower	2	5	6
ZUS Coffee	1	7	3

Games Saturday
4 p.m. – PLDT vs. Choco Mucho
6:30 p.m. – Capital1 vs. Cignal

PLDT looks to tighten its grip on the top spot while Cignal aims to secure the second qualifying round berth when they take on separate rivals Saturday in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the FilOil Playtime Centre.

Already assured of an automatic spot in the next phase, the High Speed Hitters are not expected to slow down as they face the unpredictable Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the 4 p.m. showdown.

PLDT enters the match with momentum after contrasting victories — a gritty five-set escape against the Farm Fresh Foxies and a dominant straight-set win over the Galeries Tower Highrisers — and is determined to strengthen its hold on the lead with a seventh win against one defeat heading into the crucial phase of the tournament in two weeks.

“Actually ‘yung feeling hindi ‘yung malapit na ‘yung elims eh, kasi napakabigat nung remaining games namin so ‘yun nga, nire-remind ko rin naman sa players na mahirap talaga tumingin ng sobrang layo,” said High Speed Hitters head coach Rald Ricafort.

“Talagang one game at a time muna. ‘Yun nga, happy kami na nairaos ngayon kasi after this game, sasabak ulit kami ng Sabado so two days lang kami magpe-prepare. Hopefully mairaos namin ‘yung remaining tough games,” he added.

On paper, PLDT holds the edge with a roster peaking at the right time. Savi Davison continues to anchor the attack, supported by seasoned Kim Dy, Majoy Baron and Mika Reyes, while veteran setter Kim Fajardo has provided steady orchestration that has helped the team thrive in crucial moments.

The High Speed Hitters’ defensive discipline, both on the floor and at the net, has also been key in close situations, giving them a more balanced and stable approach as they head deeper into the conference.

But the Flying Titans remain dangerous despite their 3-4 record.

Choco Mucho heads into the match motivated to bounce back from a heartbreaking five-set loss to Farm Fresh, in which it squandered a 2-1 set advantage, a setback that complicated its bid for a qualifying round berth.

Sisi Rondina is expected to lead the charge in what could turn into a scoring duel with Davison, while fans are eager to see Eya Laure regain rhythm and confidence heading into the stretch run.

Coach Dante Alinsunurin has recently deployed Laure as a late-set closer rather than in her usual starting role. While the strategy has worked in some matches, it proved less effective against the Foxies, where she struggled to find her timing after entering late in the game.

The match is critical for the Flying Titans, who need to regain traction to keep their campaign alive in the tightly contested race for the top four.

The top four teams advance to the qualifying round, where they will dispute the first two semifinal slots in crossover matches. The losers will await the winners of the play-in stage featuring teams ranked fifth to 10th.

Despite PLDT’s statistical edge, the conference has produced several surprising results, leaving little room for complacency.

Meanwhile, Cignal tries to secure the second qualifying round slot when it faces Capital1 in the 6:30 p.m. match.

The Super Spikers appear to hold the advantage with a deeper and more balanced lineup led by Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos, who have carried much of the team’s offensive production throughout the conference.

Cignal is coming off a convincing straight-set win over ZUS Coffee after previously absorbing a five-set loss to the surging Akari Chargers.

With ample time to recover and regroup, the Super Spikers are expected to come out sharper as they pursue another key victory.

Still, they must brace for another explosive performance from Capital1 star Bella Belen.

The former three-time UAAP MVP has been relentless through seven matches, consistently delivering 20-point performances despite the Solar Spikers’ inconsistent results.

Capital1, however, will need more offensive support if it hopes to keep pace with Cignal’s balanced attack.

Shaya Adorador and Sydney Niegos have shown flashes but have yet to sustain their production, while middle blockers Cherry Nunag and Ezra Madrigal are expected to play bigger roles at the net, both offensively and defensively.

The Solar Spikers fell to 3-4 after a four-set loss to the Chargers and are still nurturing slim hopes of squeezing into the qualifying round.

While PLDT and Cignal appear to carry the upper hand based on form and lineup depth, the unpredictable nature of the conference has repeatedly shown that no advantage is ever guaranteed.