Savi Davison came out firing as defending champions PLDT High Speed Hitters opened their 2026 PVL Invitationals campaign with a four‑set victory over Thailand’s EST Cola, 25‑23, 25‑15, 26‑28, 25‑14, on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Davison led all scorers with 30 points, converting 24 attacks, 5 blocks, and 1 ace. She also contributed 12 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions to make an impact on both ends of the court.
PLDT Overcomes Tough Challenge
The High Speed Hitters had to navigate a tough challenge from the Thai side, which brought together several players from Thailand’s Volleyball Nations League pool.
After EST Cola extended the match by taking the third set, PLDT quickly regained control in the fourth. The two teams were tied at 12‑all before the High Speed Hitters unleashed an 8‑0 run to pull away.
Davison accounted for five points during the surge, while Mika Reyes added three as PLDT closed out the match in one hour and 58 minutes.
“‘Yun nga first assignment, very challenging lalo, kasi usually, pag may mga guest teams tayo, sila muna ‘yung pinapanood natin. So, very challenging para sa amin na medyo bulag kami sa preparation. Basta, ito lang talaga, finocus namin ‘yung side namin and happy kami na naka‑perform ‘yung mga players,” said PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort.
EST Cola showed its ability to keep pace with the defending champions in the third set. With the score tied at 26, Nirarach Srikuta delivered a down‑the‑line attack before following it up with an ace to give the Thai side the extended set and cut PLDT’s lead to 2‑1.
Team Effort Powers Defending Champs
Reyes provided PLDT with another major offensive outlet, finishing with 16 points on 10 attacks and six blocks.
Kath Arado anchored the High Speed Hitters’ floor defense with 26 excellent digs on 38 attempts and 12 excellent receptions on 17 attempts, while Jovie Prado added 9 points, 21 digs, and 13 receptions.
PLDT, which swept the guest‑team field to win the 2025 edition of the Invitational Conference, improved to 1‑0 as it began its bid to defend the title.
What’s Next
The High Speed Hitters will return to action Tuesday against Nxled at 1:30 p.m.
EST Cola, meanwhile, will look to bounce back against Farm Fresh at 4 p.m.
Srikuta paced EST Cola with 14 points in three sets, while Nannaphat Moonjakham added 12 points and nine digs.
EST Cola captain Hantima Aekpatcha was forced to leave the match in the second set after injuring her right ankle while stepping on a teammate’s foot.
