Kim Dy is giving herself the best birthday gift a day early. The PLDT star turns 31 on Sunday and celebrated on the eve of it by firing 17 points, including the match-clinching combination play, to lift the High Speed Hitters past a fearless Choco Mucho squad, 25-21, 20-25, 29-27, 25-18, Saturday night at the Chavit Coliseum in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

It was a hard-earned victory rather than a statement win. PLDT expected to impose its depth against a Flying Titans side missing several key stars, but instead found itself dragged into a tense, two-hour, 18-minute battle of resilience, composure and execution.

High Speed Hitters Survive Marathon Third Set

PLDT recovered from a disappointing second-set meltdown and weathered a breathtaking third-set firefight that tested both teams’ nerves before leaning on its experience in the fourth to finally subdue Choco Mucho and secure its first win of the pre-season tournament.

The Flying Titans nearly stole that pivotal third set. After PLDT built a commanding 16-8 lead, Choco Mucho erased the deficit piece by piece, tying the score at 24 on a booming hit from Caitlyn Viray to force a dramatic extension. Isa Molde later gave the Flying Titans a 26-25 edge, only for PLDT to successfully challenge a block touch and swing momentum back in its favor.

Mika Reyes answered the call in the clutch, delivering back-to-back quick attacks through the middle to push PLDT ahead, 28-27. Alleiah Malaluan then sealed the marathon set with a clean down-the-line winner, giving the champions a hard-earned 29-27 victory and a crucial two-sets-to-one lead.

Dy, Balanced Attack Seal PLDT’s First Win

Riding that emotional third-set triumph, PLDT took control in the fourth, turning a close battle into a comfortable cushion with a 10-7 surge sparked by Dy, Malaluan and Kiesha Bedonia. Backed by poise, defensive discipline and a deeper rotation, the High Speed Hitters widened the gap to 19-13 and sealed the four-set triumph as the Flying Titans faded down the stretch.

Savi Davison added 13 points in a three-set stint, Reyes finished with 12, and Majoy Baron, Malaluan and Bedonia chipped in 10, nine and seven points, respectively. With the win, PLDT joined Galeries Tower and Creamline at 1-0, trailing pacesetting ZUS Coffee, which swept its first two matches of the tournament.

Choco Mucho, meanwhile, slipped to 0-2 following an earlier straight-set loss to ZUS Coffee. Yet the record hardly reflected the resolve shown by the Flying Titans, who repeatedly pushed the title-holders to the limit despite missing national team standouts Sisi Rondina and Eya Laure, as well as veteran scorer Kat Tolentino, who continues recovering from surgery for a ruptured appendix.

Viray led Choco Mucho with 16 points, while Molde added 14. Jewel Encarnacion, Mean Mendez and Ayesha Juegos finished with 10, eight and six points, respectively. Missing three of its primary scorers, the Flying Titans refused to back down, matching the defending champions in intensity and determination while proving they remain capable of challenging the league’s elite even with a depleted lineup.