PLDT is volleyball champion again and there’s no surprise there.
In barely a month, PLDT won two titles in a rare display of killing efficiency.
Astonishingly, PLDT suddenly became broom of a sport that has bloomed to unexpected heights since its infancy days in 2006 under the tutelage of the late, legendary Moying Martelino. Moying it was who launched the trail-blazing Shakey’s Volleyball League in the company of Ricky Palou and the late, lamented Jun Bernardino.
In the just-ended PVL Invitational, PLDT swept aside foes like a rampaging flood crushing dikes, bridges and ripraps in wild abandon. The team was just simply as unstoppable as an amok gone berserk.
First, PLDT won the On Tour crown — by a sweep.
Second, barely rested for a week, PLDT captured the PVL Invitational — by a sweep.
In pocketing both crowns, PLDT strung up 13 straight wins, in the process becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles in recent memory.
It first emerged unbeaten in winning the On Tour, defeating Chery Tiggo in the final and recording a rare seven-game sweep.
Its bulldozing ways did not end there, proceeding to win five straight games to set up a Finals clash against ambitious Kobe Shinwa University of Japan for the PVL crown.
And how could PLDT afford to lose, when the High Speed Hitters handed the lone loss of the Japanese in the conference via a straight-set demolition, 25-20, 25-22, 25-23, in the preliminaries?
Japan did show some semblance of revenge when it won the first set, 25-21.
It also nearly made it back-to-back, putting up a hell of a fight before bowing to PLDT in a hard-fought second set, 31-29, for a 1-1 count that put the crowd on the edge of their seats at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao Q.C. on Sunday, Aug. 31.
The teenage-laden Japanese, averaging 19 years of age, were still at it before PLDT’s experience and championship savvy prevailed in the last two sets to win, 25-22, 25-18.
Fil-Canadian Savi Davison starred for PLDT anew with 20 points on 18 receptions and 9 digs, followed by Kianna Dy with 17 points. Dy embellished her heroics by hitting the game’s final block that sealed the Speed Hitters’ six-game sweep of the tournament.
With home turf secured, what’s next for PLDT?
