No more what-ifs: High Speed Hitters rise, reset and rule

What began as a showcase of net dominance and middle-line firepower turned into a grueling test of will, nerve and resilience. But in the end, the PLDT High Speed Hitters proved they had more than just muscle – they had the heart of champions.

Squandering a 2-0 lead in a winner-take-all match could have shattered the psyche of even the most seasoned squad. For a team untested in such high-stakes pressure, the moment felt like a trapdoor – one misstep away from collapse.

But PLDT didn’t just survive the scare. They stormed back the way future champions do: focused, fearless and ferocious.

And in that fifth and final set, they didn’t blink.

Yes, Savi Davison’s explosive presence helped tip the momentum back in their favor. Yes, they needed composure in the most crucial points. But what sealed it was their tried-and-tested formula – commanding the net, blocking lanes and exploiting the middle with quick, lethal strikes.

Mika Reyes stood at the center of that onslaught. When Chery Tiggo’s defense hesitated for a split second, Reyes was already landing from her attack – the ball logged on the scoresheet. One, two, three, four rapid-fire kills later, the scoreboard began to tip.

Then came a kill block from Majoy Baron, a clutch denial by Reyes, and a punctuation mark: a back-breaking crosscourt hammer from Kim Dy.

What fans expected to be a tense, see-sawing decider instead turned into a coronation. PLDT didn’t just win – they took the fifth set in emphatic, almost cruel fashion, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25,  24-26, 15-8, before a screaming Sunday crowd of more than 11,000 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was a fitting conclusion for a squad that had long stood in the shadows, haunted by missed chances and painful losses – none more bitter than last year’s controversial semifinal exit in the Reinforced Conference.

“I’m not a religious person,” said head coach Rald Ricafort in Filipino, “but I understood the prayer we always shared – that the team would grow tougher and more resilient. And all those heartbreaks, all those near-misses, I now see them as necessary. They prepared us for this.”

He added, “I’m just proud of how the girls held on until the very last set. That was the mindset we wanted – strong, brave, unbreakable.”

Ricafort didn’t shy away from acknowledging his players’ growth.
“Mika was phenomenal. Savi, the usual. But what I’m most proud of is the team’s grip – that refusal to let go. This one’s sweet because we’ve been chasing this feeling for a long time.”

While technically a pre-season tournament, the title meant more than just hardware. For PLDT, it was redemption – and a statement.

“You can never settle,” said Ricafort. “We tell the players that all the time. Improvement isn’t a destination – it’s a daily grind. Each year, new lineups emerge. You can’t stand still. You have to keep pushing.”

PLDT capped off the campaign with back-to-back five-set wins, completing an unblemished eight-game sweep.

“It’s not just the championship that makes me happy,” said Ricafort. “It’s the fact that we finally overcame something we’ve struggled with for so long – finishing the job in tough matches. That’s what makes this so satisfying. It’s the result of every bit of hard work and heartbreak since last year.”

For Reyes, the turning point was mental toughness.

“Our coaches always remind us to stay present. No lead is safe. Even when we were up two sets, we didn’t assume it was ours. I’m just grateful that we held on – to each other, to the moment,” she said.

Named Finals MVP, Reyes admitted the award caught her off guard.

“I honestly didn’t hear them announce it,” she said. “But really, the team’s win means more to me than any individual award. Always has.”

For Davison, the team-first ethos of PLDT remains its most dangerous weapon.

“I’ve been saying it – this team is a threat from every angle,” said the Filipino-Canadian scorer. “Every practice, every game, these girls show up. They’ve made me better, and I hope I’ve done the same for them.”

She was quick to shut down the idea that PLDT’s rise centered on her.

“PLDT was already here before I arrived. I wasn’t added to flip a switch. People ask me, ‘Why PLDT?’ And all I can say is – it’s either PLDT or nothing. This team is my family. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”

Dy, returning from a career-threatening injury, couldn’t hide her emotion.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for over a year,” she said. “It wasn’t easy – blood, sweat, and tears. But here we are, champions.”

For Dy, the victory was made even sweeter by winning alongside longtime teammates from her collegiate days.

“Being with Majoy and Ate Kim again made it special. The PLDT team welcomed us, embraced us. That made all the difference.”

For Baron, PLDT’s breakthrough wasn’t just a win – it was the culmination of a journey defined by constant challenges and growth.

“I really believe this was meant for us,” said Baron. “We were being tested until the very end. I’m just so proud of my team, our coaches, and the management. Since I joined PLDT, it’s really been a process.”

“Every conference, we learned something new, we added something to our game. And now, we’ve finally found the formula. It feels so rewarding because everything came together through hard work,” she added.

And at the heart of that final push was veteran setter Kim Fajardo – an unsung hero whose experience and brilliant playmaking emerged when it mattered most.

“I wouldn’t say we didn’t expect this, because we really worked hard for it,” said Fajardo in Filipino. “When you put in the work, you should expect good results. That’s why this moment is incredibly fulfilling – we finally reached our goal.”

She spoke candidly about the team’s determination and mindset heading into the tournament.

“Our focus was to just play well and help the team because we knew how tough things had been. We all went through so much during training – every day was exhausting,” she said.

She also shared her personal drive to break free from the team’s past disappointments.

“You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste—not another fourth-place finish. That kept happening before, and I didn’t want us to go through that again,” she said. “The level of competition in the PVL keeps rising, so we also have to raise our level.”

Despite the victory, Fajardo acknowledged that the team is still working on staying healthy and battle-ready.

“We’re not yet at 100 percent, health-wise, but we’re getting there. It’s important that every game, every day in training, you show up and give it your all – because life and the game don’t stop. You have to learn how to manage yourself despite the pain,” she said.

And libero Kath Arado once again proved why she’s among the best in the league, anchoring her team’s defense with unwavering tenacity. She stood tall – or dove low – against every spike from Chery Tiggo, especially the relentless attacks from powerhouse hitters Ara Galang and Cess Robles. Her floor defense was key to PLDT’s historic championship victory.

After the match, she reflected on the long, grueling road that brought them to the title – a journey marked by challenges, injuries, and unwavering commitment.

“I’m just so proud,” said Arado in Filipino. “From Day 1, the sacrifices of this team – especially the coaches and how hands-on they’ve been with every opponent we faced – it’s been incredible. They give us everything we need; all we have to do is apply it on the court.”

Arado also opened up about the emotional rollercoaster the team endured, especially as a group of women athletes, with the coaching staff guiding them every step of the way.

“It wasn’t easy. As women, we’re naturally emotional – and I know I can be loud and all over the place sometimes,” she said. “But the coaches were so patient with us, especially with me. They kept telling me, ‘You have to set the tone. You have to be the standard.’”

That belief, according to Arado, helped shape their championship form.

“What we showed on the court is a reflection of what we did in training – the hard work, the patience, the commitment. That’s why I’m so grateful we won, and that I got to do it with this group,” she said.

This wasn’t just a win. It was a reckoning. A reminder that scars can become strength – and that sometimes, the most satisfying victories are the ones that nearly got away.

Because in the fifth set of a make-or-break final, it wasn’t just PLDT’s skill that showed up – it was every heartbreak, every “almost,” and every unanswered prayer… finally answering back.