Manila: Out of the PVL Invitational title picture because of an inferior tiebreak score, last year's titlist PLDT still gave its all to stun two-time champion Creamline, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12, at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night. The High Speed Hitters could have simply gone through the motions. Instead, they fought as if the championship were on the line.
According to Philippines News Agency, the victory, after two hours and 23 minutes, did not change PLDT's place in the standings, but it spoke volumes about the team's pride, character, and commitment to the fans. It spoiled Creamline's bid for a return to the finals and handed Nxled a free ride to the championship against Thailand's EST Cola. EST Cola formalized its finals berth with a 25-19, 26-24, 26-24 sweep of Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam earlier, finishing on top with a 4-1 record.
The Nxled Chameleons downed the Farm Fresh Foxies in the opening game, 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22. Nxled, Creamline, and PLDT all wound up at 3-2, but the Chameleons grabbed the second finals berth with 10 FIVB tiebreak points. The Cool Smashers settled for third with nine, while the High Speed Hitters finished fourth with eight. The one-game championship showdown between EST Cola and Nxled is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, also at Araneta Coliseum.
PLDT and Creamline will meet again at 4 p.m. for third place, while Farm Fresh and Ho Chi Minh collide at 1:30 p.m. for fifth. Had Creamline won, the Cool Smashers would have secured a rematch with the Thais for the championship.
After falling behind in the fourth set, the High Speed Hitters battled back and forced a decider. With the fifth set locked at 5-all, they broke the game open with a decisive surge sparked by Jovie Prado's clutch three-point run and helped along by a string of Creamline miscues. Three more errors helped PLDT race to a 12-7 lead after Mika Reyes rejected Tots Carlos.
A PLDT net violation and a Jaja Minowa block on Reyes briefly revived the Cool Smashers, who closed within 9-12. But Kim Dy drilled another attack before scoring on an off-the-block shot to put PLDT at match point. Creamline survived that first opportunity after Savi Davison missed a push and Minowa blocked Dy following a long, tense rally.
Minowa saved another match point with a rare off-the-block hit, but Davison, unstoppable with her power attacks from all angles, ended the marathon with a clever drop ball that caught the Creamline defense flat-footed. Davison sizzled with a career-high 37 points, while also coming through with 18 excellent digs and 24 receptions. However, it was Prado who shone brightest, producing a triple-double of 14 points, 11 digs, and 14 receptions to earn Best Player of the Game honors.
'Sobrang (Really) happy, kasi hindi naman natin maikakaila na (because we can't deny that) Creamline is a champion team din (also). So ayun, kumbaga nag-mindset na lang kami na mahirap talaga 'yung game. Hindi basta-basta ibibigay ng Creamline sa amin 'yun (there, our mindset was the game is hard. Creamline won't give us an easy time),' the soft-spoken Prado said.
Dy also finished with 14 points, while Reyes added 11 and Majoy Baron chipped in eight. Minowa came away with 25 points, most of them from her signature heavy quick attacks, while Jema Galanza added 20, Michele Gumabao had 11, and Alyssa Valdez and Bea de Leon finished with seven points apiece.
