PLDT had nothing to gain and nothing to lose. The defending champions played like neither was true.

The High Speed Hitters were already eliminated from Finals contention on tiebreaker in the PVL Invitational. Still, they stunned two-time champion Creamline, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-12, in a five-set war Sunday night, September 6.

The match lasted two hours and 23 minutes at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. It carried no weight in the standings for PLDT.

But the result reshaped everyone else’s fate. It eliminated Creamline’s Finals hopes and handed Nxled a clean path to the championship round against Thailand’s EST Cola.

A Statement Win With Nothing on the Line

PLDT twice teetered on the edge of letting the match slip away. After falling behind in the fourth set, the High Speed Hitters clawed back to force a decider.

The fifth set stayed knotted at 5-5 before PLDT broke it open. Jovie Prado sparked a clutch three-point run, aided by a string of costly Creamline errors.

Mika Reyes rejected a Tots Carlos attack during that stretch. It helped push PLDT to a commanding 12-7 lead.

Creamline briefly clawed back within three points. A Jaja Minowa block and a PLDT net violation fueled the mini-rally.

The High Speed Hitters refused to fold, though. Kim Dy scored on consecutive plays to put PLDT at match point.

Creamline saved two match points to stay alive, one coming on a rare off-the-block hit from Minowa. But it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Savi Davison ended it with a clever drop shot. The play caught the Cool Smashers’ defense flat-footed.

Davison finished with a career-high 37 points, adding 18 excellent digs and 24 receptions. Her all-around effort carried PLDT through the marathon.

Prado earned Best Player of the Game honors for her effort. She posted a triple-double of 14 points, 11 digs, and 14 receptions.

A Finals Picture Turned Upside Down

PLDT’s win did more than deliver pride. It handed Nxled the tournament’s second Finals berth.

The Chameleons edged out Creamline and PLDT in a three-way tie at 3-2. FIVB tiebreak points settled the difference.

EST Cola had already locked up the top seed with a 4-1 record. The Thais sealed it earlier with a sweep of Ho Chi Minh City.

Nxled claimed the second Finals slot with 10 tiebreak points. Creamline settled for third with nine, while PLDT finished fourth with eight.

The championship showdown between EST Cola and Nxled is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Before that, PLDT and Creamline will meet again for third place at 4 p.m.

Farm Fresh and Ho Chi Minh City round out the day. They’ll square off at 1:30 p.m. for fifth place.

Had Creamline beaten PLDT instead, the outcome would have looked very different. The Cool Smashers would have earned a rematch with EST Cola for the title.

For Prado, the win carried a deeper meaning than the standings could capture. “Sobrang happy, kasi hindi naman natin maikakaila na Creamline is a champion team din. So ayun, kumbaga nag-mindset na lang kami na mahirap talaga ‘yung game. Hindi basta-basta ibibigay ng Creamline sa amin ‘yun,” she said.

Dy added 14 points for PLDT, while Reyes and Majoy Baron chipped in 11 and eight, respectively. Minowa led Creamline with 25 points.

Jema Galanza followed with 20 points for the Cool Smashers. Michele Gumabao added 11 more in the losing effort.