PLDT out to end 'almost' stories in PVL

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT concluded the previous edition of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino conferences with "almost" narratives after falling one spot short of making it to the playoffs.

The High Speed Hitters finished fifth in the Second All-Filipino Conference in 2023, and 2025, but this time the Rald Ricafort-mentored squad is way hungry to put an end to this back-to-back almost but not quite story.

PLDT concluded the first round of the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference with an 8-3 win-loss card after making quick work of ZUS, 25-20, 25-16, 25-15, last Saturday.

This allowed them to have favorable odds in the qualification round, as they will face the ninth-seeded ZUS (4-7) for a chance in the playoff spot.

Despite all the advantages, head coach Ricafort shared that there is no room for complacency, and downplayed the idea that the team is peaking at the right time.

"We don't want to think that we are peaking, but what we prioritize right now is our health. We need to be consistent and work on giving away less errors," he said.

The High Speed Hitters stunned Creamline with a five-set win to end the 10-time PVL Champions' 19-game winning streak.

This win showed a glimpse of what PLDT can do in the long run. However, Ricafort gave a few words when asked if this is the PLDT squad that can go to the finals.

"We hope so. That's our goal every conference," he said as he didn't want to jinx his team's current status.

Facing ZUS one more time in the next stage of the tournament, the head tactician shared that there is still no room for complacency.

"I think no complacency, and we need to do what we have to do to reach our end goal."

PLDT has a quartet of former DLSU Lady Archer stars of: Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, Majoy Baron, and Kim Kianna Dy, who all showed how volleyball is played in a "La Salle way."

The collegiate champions' presence backed up Filipino-Canadian Savi Davison's prowess in the first round, allowing PLDT to be slated in the Top 6 teams of the league.