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Tag: PLDT High Speed Hitters

  • PLDT, Cignal score big wins to start PVL campaign

    PLDT, Cignal score big wins to start PVL campaign

    The opening days of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference sent a clear message: continuity matters, and momentum is real.

     

    PLDT wasted no time reminding everyone of its growing mastery over Creamline, delivering a confident 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 sweep Thursday at the Playtime Filoil Centre. What once felt like an occasional upset has now turned into a pattern, as the High Speed Hitters stretched their unbeaten run against the league’s most decorated franchise to five straight games—an astonishing streak that has lasted 811 days.

     

    At the heart of it all was Savi Davison, who looked every bit like the reigning MVP. She detonated early, pouring in 13 points in the opening set alone to immediately seize control of the match. Creamline tried to counter with experience and pedigree, but PLDT’s pace and precision never wavered.

     

    Even the long-awaited return of Creamline’s championship core—Jia de Guzman, Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, and Dij Rodriguez—failed to disrupt PLDT’s rhythm. The High Speed Hitters, nearly intact from last year’s title run save for Seth Rodriguez filling in for Dell Palomata, played with the cohesion of a team that never stopped building.

     

    Davison finished with a conference-first triple-double, tallying 26 points, 11 digs, and 10 receptions, while Kianna Dy, Jovy Prado, and the rest of PLDT’s supporting cast ensured the offense stayed balanced and relentless.

     

    Creamline, meanwhile, showed flashes of its old self but lacked its usual bite. Pons shined in her return with 13 points and a double-digit presence on defense, while Tots Carlos added 11. De Guzman’s 12 excellent sets marked her first PVL action in 922 days, yet Creamline’s biggest guns—Alyssa Valdez, Galanza, and Michele Gumabao—were largely neutralized.

     

    If PLDT asserted dominance through familiarity, Cignal showcased the value of sharp preparation.

     

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    The HD Spikers outlasted Choco Mucho, 25-20, 16-25, 25-19, 25-18, in a physical four-set encounter that tested composure more than firepower. After briefly losing control in the second set, Cignal leaned into longer rallies and cleaner execution to slowly wear down the Flying Titans, becoming the first team to reach two wins this conference.

     

    Erika Santos continued her strong run from the preseason, leading Cignal with 18 points built on efficiency across attacks, blocks, and service aces. Vanie Gandler provided steady two-way production, while setter Gel Cayuna orchestrated the offense with 23 excellent sets that kept Choco Mucho guessing.

     

    At the net, Jackie Acuña proved decisive, piling up four kill blocks among her 13 points to halt Choco Mucho’s momentum at critical junctures.

     

    The Flying Titans didn’t go quietly. Newly formed star partners Sisi Rondina and Eya Laure delivered emphatic double-doubles, with Rondina posting a game-high 20 points and Laure contributing across every phase of play. Still, the inability to sustain pressure in the closing sets proved costly, handing Choco Mucho its first loss after a promising start.

     

    As the All-Filipino Conference unfolds, PLDT and Cignal have done more than just win—they’ve drawn early lines in the sand, signaling that the road to the title will demand not just talent, but cohesion, patience, and execution under pressure.

     

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  • “It’s my favorite of the year”: PLDT’s Savannah Davison on the All-Filipino Conference

    “It’s my favorite of the year”: PLDT’s Savannah Davison on the All-Filipino Conference

    The PLDT High Speed Hitters have rapidly established themselves as one of the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) most formidable contenders, and much of that success has been driven by the consistent performances of star outside hitter Savannah Davison.

     

    The High Speed Hitters enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2025, capturing two major titles: the PVL On Tour preseason tournament and the Invitational Conference. Davison played a pivotal role, particularly in the Invitational Conference triumph, anchoring PLDT’s offense and providing stability on both ends of the floor. Her versatility and court awareness have become central to PLDT’s identity, making her one of the league’s most dynamic players.

     

    Looking ahead to the ongoing All-Filipino Conference, the Filipino-Canadian outside hitter expressed excitement for a competition she calls her favorite of the season.

     

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    “I think the All-Filipino is my favorite conference of the year. It’s where everybody’s back, all the players from Alas are back, and there’s no imports to depend on. It’s kind of a free-for-all. There’s a lot more swag, a lot more talk, a lot more sass, and it’s exciting because the teams are really getting stronger,” Davison said in a media interaction.

    PLDT entered the All-Filipino Conference with a relatively quiet offseason in terms of roster moves. The team added middle blocker Seth Rodriguez to compensate for the departure of Dell Palomata, keeping the core of their squad intact. Davison believes this continuity and chemistry are what set the High Speed Hitters apart, allowing them to hit the ground running this season.

     

    “We came into this year knowing that we had to push each other harder in practice, push each other every day so that the game days come easier to us. Through bonding and just spending time with each other, we are able to do that without any emotional stress.

     

    It’s very easygoing within our team. When the pressure builds, we are able to talk to each other — and I think that’s a really good thing going into this year,” she added.

     

    Davison’s comments underscore the team-first mentality that has helped PLDT rise as a contender. Beyond raw talent, the High Speed Hitters rely on trust, communication, and camaraderie — qualities that can make the difference in tight matches where mental resilience is key.

     

    PLDT is set to kick off their All-Filipino Conference campaign against PVL powerhouse Creamline Cool Smashers on Thursday, February 5, at the FilOil Centre. The matchup will be a litmus test for the High Speed Hitters, who are eager to make a statement in the opening game and signal that they are serious contenders in a league that has grown increasingly competitive.

     

    For Davison and her teammates, the early stages of the conference will be an opportunity to build momentum, showcase team chemistry, and remind the league that the High Speed Hitters are not just a team to watch — they are a team to beat. With a blend of experienced leaders, rising talent, and the unique leadership of Davison, PLDT enters the season with confidence, cohesion, and the swagger that comes from knowing they have the pieces to compete for the championship once again.

     

     

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  • PVL 2026 All-Filipino Conference: Teams to watch out for this season 

    PVL 2026 All-Filipino Conference: Teams to watch out for this season 

    As the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference approaches, anticipation has never been higher. The league’s premier domestic tournament — where only Filipino players compete — returns amid a swirl of roster shakeups, free-agency moves, and franchise transitions that have reshaped the competitive landscape. This season also carries added significance as the All-Filipino Conference champion earns the right to represent the Philippines in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League, with travel and logistics covered by the league.

     

    With the tournament slated to open January 31, here’s a look at the top five teams expected to make deep runs and why each deserves attention:

     

    5. Capital1 Solar Spikers — A Young Core Evolving Fast

     

    The Solar Spikers have energetically reshaped their roster following a winless Reinforced Conference campaign last season. Capital1 has loaded up with talent from disbanded squads like Chery Tiggo and others, bringing in Pauline Gaston, Cherry Nunag, Ysa Jimenez, and France Ronquillo, among others.

     

    What makes Capital1 intriguing is the blend of youthful promise and emerging leadership. Players like Bella Belen have shown the type of playmaking and consistency that can fuel upsets, and the team’s aggressive offseason strategy suggests a squad eager to prove itself in the big games. If their chemistry gels early — especially with internal leadership — Capital1 could surprise more established contenders.

     

    4. Strong Group Athletics (Farm Fresh & ZUS Coffee) — Two Banners, One Contender Identity

     

    Strong Group Athletics continues to be one of the most intriguing forces in the PVL with dual representation in the league through the Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles. The organization has signed marquee veterans like Ara Galang, Royse Tubino, Mylene Paat, and Chie Saet, bolstering both teams’ experience and firepower.

     

    Farm Fresh’s dynamic young attackers like Trisha Tubu and ZUS Coffee’s rising star Thea Gagate give each squad explosive scoring options. Meanwhile, the veteran additions bring discipline and leadership — a valuable combination in a tightly contested All-Filipino field. The key for both teams will be sustaining momentum and translating talent into consistent results against top-flight opposition.

     

    3. Choco Mucho Flying Titans — Balanced Scoring with Elite Firepower

     

    Choco Mucho’s offseason was anchored by the signing of Eya Laure, a dominant attacker whose return to the league promises to elevate the Titans’ offensive capacity. Alongside stalwarts Sisi Rondina, Kat Tolentino, and Maddie Madayag, Choco Mucho presents one of the most balanced scoring threats in the league.

     

    In previous All-Filipino runs, Choco Mucho has proven capable of rising to the occasion, even going toe-to-toe with perennial powerhouses — a reminder that they are always in the hunt when chemistry and fitness align. With a deep roster capable of pressure scoring and backline stability, the Titans step into 2026 ready for a late-season surge.

     

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    2. PLDT High Speed Hitters — Momentum and Championship Know-How

     

    PLDT enters the All-Filipino Conference with strong recent form. The High Speed Hitters captured back-to-back titles in the 2025 PVL On Tour and Invitational Conferences, showing both resilience and clutch execution in high-stakes matches.

     

    Adding middle blocker Seth Rodriguez — a strategic move following roster changes — gives PLDT added size and depth up the middle. Combined with cornerstone performers like Savi Davison and a cast familiar with title runs, PLDT offers a blend of stability and experience that few teams can match. Their championship pedigree and consistency make them serious favorites to reach the final rounds.

     

    1. Creamline Cool Smashers — The Standard Bearers of Philippine Volleyball

     

    Atop the list stands the Creamline Cool Smashers, the most decorated team in All-Filipino Conference history with six titles — more than any other franchise. They were dominant again last season, capturing both the Open Conference and the Invitational legs while narrowly missing a rare grand slam after strong showings throughout the year.

     

    Creamline’s roster remains anchored by stalwarts Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, and other seasoned players such as Bernadette Pons who will be returning after a SEA Games gold medal. The signing of elite libero Jennifer Nierva provides a targeted boost on defense — an area Creamline sought to shore up after finishing middle-of-the-pack in digs and receptions last season.

     

    Their coaching structure and continuity give them a notable edge as well; while other squads have undergone sweeping changes, Creamline’s core remains intact and battle-tested. It’s a team built for long playoff runs and poised for a bounce-back championship campaign.

     

    Season Overview 

     

    The 2026 All-Filipino Conference represents more than another trophy chase — it symbolizes a transition point in the PVL’s evolution. From significant roster realignments to more structured player acquisition mechanisms (including ongoing discussions around trades and drafts), the league is moving toward a future where talent distribution and competitive balance will continue to improve.

     

    With international competition on the line along with national pride and club supremacy, this season promises all-out battles from opening serve to final point. Whether it’s Creamline defending its legacy, PLDT building on recent success, or emerging contenders challenging the hierarchy, one thing is clear: the race for PVL supremacy in 2026 will be one of the most compelling in recent memory.

     

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  • PLDT moves fast to plug middle gap, brings in Seth Rodriguez ahead of PVL All-Filipino tilt

    PLDT moves fast to plug middle gap, brings in Seth Rodriguez ahead of PVL All-Filipino tilt

    PLDT wasted no time addressing a looming hole in its frontline, securing the services of veteran middle blocker Seth Rodriguez as preparations ramp up for the 2026 PVL season.

     

    The two-time champions officially welcomed the 5-foot-10 net defender on Saturday night, marking Rodriguez as the High Speed Hitters’ first roster move of the offseason and an immediate solution to an early challenge.

     

    Her arrival comes at a critical juncture for PLDT, which will open the All-Filipino Conference without resident middle blocker Dell Palomata. 


    The 6-foot-3 cornerstone was cleared by the club to take an overseas stint with the Medan Falcons in the 2026 Indonesian Proliga, where she is set to play until May. 

     

    Palomata is expected to rejoin PLDT once her international campaign wraps up, but the temporary absence created an opening the team was eager to fill.

     

     

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    Rather than wait, the High Speed Hitters turned to a familiar and proven option. Rodriguez, a former Chery Tiggo mainstay, became available following the franchise’s dissolution earlier in the offseason. Her experience and readiness made her a natural fit for a PLDT squad eyeing continuity rather than reinvention.

     

    Rodriguez is among a wave of former Crossovers who have found new homes in the league.

     

    Since Chery Tiggo folded last December, Cess Robles, Ren Peñafiel and Karen Verdeflor have joined the Strong Group Athletics stable, while Alina Bicar landed with Choco Mucho. Rodriguez now adds her name to that list, stepping into a system that values stability and depth at the net.

     

    At PLDT, she joins a veteran-heavy rotation featuring Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, Zen Perolino and Mary Anne Esguerra. The added piece gives head coach Rald Ricafort flexibility in managing matchups and workloads as the conference unfolds, particularly during Palomata’s absence.

     

    With the All-Filipino Conference drawing closer, Rodriguez’s signing signals more than just a stopgap move.

     

    It underscores PLDT’s intent to stay competitive from opening serve, reinforcing its championship ambitions while ensuring the middle remains a position of strength—even amid early-season adjustments.

     

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  • A Power Shift in the PVL: Petro Gazz and PLDT own 2025

    A Power Shift in the PVL: Petro Gazz and PLDT own 2025

    What unfolded in the PVL in 2025 was more than a shift in champions—it was a reckoning. For nearly a decade, pink ruled Philippine women’s volleyball, with Creamline serving as both measuring stick and immovable force. 

     

    Championships felt routine, dominance institutional. But this closing year had other ideas. A convergence of timing, talent, and transformation finally loosened the grip of an old dynasty and crowned new standard-bearers, with Petro Gazz and PLDT splitting the season’s silverware and reshaping the league’s hierarchy.

     

    Creamline’s title drought—only the second full calendar year without a championship since 2017—was not so much a collapse as it was a sign of evolution around them. The Angels and the High Speed Hitters didn’t simply benefit from an opening; they forced one.

     

     At the center of that shift were Fil-foreign stars Brooke Van Sickle and Savi Davison, players once labeled as pure scorers who reintroduced themselves in 2025 as complete, championship-caliber leaders capable of defining tournaments.

     

    No team embodied reinvention more than Petro Gazz. From a franchise with just two import-dependent titles in six years, the Angels turned 2025 into a scrapbook of firsts. 

     

    Their breakthrough All-Filipino Conference run finally delivered a long-elusive import-less crown, built on early dominance, postseason poise, and a finals victory over Creamline that felt symbolic as much as it was decisive. 

     

    MJ Phillips and Van Sickle formed a devastating two-way tandem, while the title also marked a historic moment on the bench, with Koji Tsuzurabara joining rare company among foreign coaches to win a PVL championship.

     

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    The Reinforced Conference told a different, yet equally defining story. Petro Gazz stumbled early, recalibrated midstream, and surged just in time—knocking out Creamline to end the Cool Smashers’ 19-tournament podium streak before finishing off ZUS Coffee’s Cinderella run.

     

     By year’s end, Van Sickle had etched her name alongside Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos as a three-time conference MVP, while Phillips emerged as the quiet constant, a two-time Finals MVP anchoring both title runs.

     

    PLDT’s rise, meanwhile, was about release. Seven years of near-misses and unfulfilled promise evaporated in a span of weeks as the High Speed Hitters finally learned how to finish. 

     

    Their preseason sweep at the PVL on Tour hinted at what was coming, but it was the resilience shown against Creamline in the semifinals—and the composure to survive Chery Tiggo’s late charge in the finals—that announced PLDT’s arrival as champions. Mika Reyes’ long-awaited Finals MVP and Kath Arado’s history-making libero double cemented a breakthrough that felt earned, not accidental.

     

    The momentum carried straight into the PVL Invitational, where PLDT once again refused to blink, turning back international challengers and sealing a second title in quick succession. 

     

    Davison’s emergence as conference MVP capped a personal leap that mirrored her team’s ascent, while PLDT’s back-to-back triumphs reframed the franchise from perennial contender to certified winner.

     

    In the end, 2025 wasn’t about Creamline falling—it was about others finally rising high enough to meet and surpass the standard they set. 

     

    Petro Gazz and PLDT didn’t just claim trophies; they claimed space, identity, and legitimacy. The league exits the year no longer defined by a single shade of pink, but by a deeper, richer palette—proof that the PVL’s next era has well and truly begun.

     

     

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