CANDON City, Ilocos Sur – Upset over its lackluster second-set showing, PLDT regrouped and unleashed a powerful display of net defense to overpower Galeries Tower, carving out a 25-19, 19-25, 25-16, 25-21 victory at the PVL Reinforced Conference on Saturday, November 9, at the Candon City Arena.

The High Speed Hitters turned the match into a showcase of defensive brilliance. Their airtight blocking frustrated Galeries Tower’s hitters, dictating the flow in the third and fourth sets. Even at less than peak form, PLDT proved too much for the winless Highrisers, rolling to a third straight victory after a shocking shutout loss to sister team Cignal on October 21, which ended a 15-game winning streak that had yielded PVL On Tour and Invitational titles.

With a 5-1 record, PLDT is now assured of a quarterfinal slot, though coach Rald Ricafort’s squad remains focused on sweeping its final assignments against Chery Tiggo (Nov. 15) and Petro Gazz (Nov. 20) to secure a higher seeding.

Stars shine on both ends

Savi Davison erupted for 21 points, complementing Anastasiia Bavykina’s game-high 22 markers, but it was PLDT’s towering 15-block performance that ultimately defined the outcome. The High Speed Hitters outblocked the Highrisers by 10 points, erecting a virtual wall that stifled Galeries Tower’s attacks.

Kim Dy contributed 12 points, including four kill blocks, while Majoy Baron added 10 markers. Kath Arado provided crucial digs and floor coverage, keeping PLDT’s transition game fluid throughout the contest.

“We didn’t start as strong as I wanted, and they caught up with us in the second set,” said Davison. “But bawi lang – I’m glad we were able to finish the game the way we should.”

Dy’s presence was pivotal in the third set. From an 11-9 lead, she anchored an 8-3 run, denying Galeries Tower’s wing spikers and punctuating the set with a thunderous kill. Bavykina’s relentless hitting powered a nine-point third-set surge that swung momentum fully in PLDT’s favor.

Even as Galeries tried to rally in the fourth, PLDT’s frontliners refused to yield. A 5-6 deficit turned into a commanding 16-8 cushion thanks to a flurry of kill blocks from Dy and Baron, leaving the Highrisers visibly shaken. Baron sealed the win with back-to-back quick kills after Galeries trimmed the gap to 19-22.

Galeries Tower unable to crack PLDT’s wall

Jelena Cvijovic and France Ronquillo led Galeries with 15 points each, while Jean Asis and Ysa Jimenez added 13 and 12 markers, respectively. The Highrisers matched PLDT’s 54 attack points but failed to break through the reinforced net defense.

“This second round is a high-stakes phase,” said Davison. “We have to study our opponents, come out strong, and execute in the clutch. Today, I’m just glad we were able to do that.”

Galeries Tower fell to 0-6, tied with Nxled for the bottom of the standings.