PVL on Tour visits Cebu City this weekend Saturday, July 26 as volleyball fans saw 2 teams sweep their opponents to get the victory.
PLDT Sweeps Chameleons and Secures Quarterfinals Spot
The PLDT High Speed Hitters became the first team in Pool A to make it to the playoffs as they beat the Nxled Chameleons in 3 straight sets.
PLDT opened the match with a dominant first set as Mika Reyes and Kim Kianna Dy immediately made their presence felt, delivering three consecutive kill blocks to establish an early 6-1 advantage.
As the Chameleons struggled to find their rhythm, they grew hesitant in their attacks, constantly second-guessing their shots in the face of PLDT’s relentless wall. Things worsened as Majoy Baron joined the frontline, closing gaps with perfect timing and helping the High Speed Hitters surge to a commanding 17-3 lead.
A brief rally trimmed the score to 11-23 after Lyann De Guzman converted a free ball, but her subsequent service error and a thunderous quick hit from Baron ended the set after just 25 minutes.
Nxled came out with more aggression in the second set, managing to match PLDT point-for-point early on. The inclusion of EJ Cariño into the lineup brought some stability, allowing the Chameleons to briefly take the lead at 9-7.
However, the High Speed Hitters quickly regained control. A quick middle attack by Baron at 14-11 swung momentum permanently in their favor. Their defense remained suffocating, converting turnovers into fast transitions, and PLDT closed out the second set with a strong finishing kick.
In the third set, PLDT maintained its upper hand, pulling away midway through the frame. However, tension flared late as Nxled took advantage of back-to-back double contact errors by Kim Fajardo and a string of passing lapses, narrowing the gap to 21-24 after a quick strike from Jaycel Delos Reyes.
Kiesha Bedonia, ended the contest with another emphatic attack. Though Nxled challenged the call, arguing the ball was out, video review confirmed it had landed cleanly in Zone 5, sealing PLDT’s third-set win and a 3-set sweep that lasted one hour and 32 minutes.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 25-11, Set 2: 25-17, Set 3: 25-21
Savi Davison made a promising return late in the third set, scoring two quick points, including her first conversion after a long layoff. Bedonia led all scorers with 15 points, while Baron contributed 13 markers from 11 attacks and two blocks.
Celebrating her 30th birthday, Kim Kianna Dy chipped in nine points, matching the output of fellow middle blocker Mika Reyes. Jovie Prado added seven points, giving High Speed Hitters a well-distributed scoring effort. Fajardo finished with 18 excellent sets.
Meanwhile, Cariño led Nxled with 11 points in two sets, while De Guzman, who had posted back-to-back 20-point games previously, was limited to just nine and Jovielyn Fernandez only managed five points.
This fourth straight win not only clinched PLDT the first quarterfinal slot in Pool A but also established them as a serious title threat. Meanwhile, Nxled’s loss dropped them to 3-1.
Foxies Wins 3-Straight and Inches Closer to a Playoff Spot
The Farm Fresh Foxies extended their winning streak to 3 in a row as they also swept the Galeries Tower Highrisers last night.
Farm Fresh claimed a hard-fought opening set against Galeries Tower, after a dramatic video challenge that ultimately ruled in their favor. The frame had been neck-and-neck, with both teams battling until the end.
With the Highrisers wasting two set-point chances which was one off a quick from Roselle Baliton, still the Foxies kept their composure. Rachel Ann Daquis nailed a baseline attack to push Farm Fresh to set point, then a disputed block touch involving Dim Pacres and Lorene Toring went the Foxies’ way after an extensive review. Setter Alohi Robins-Hardy also played a pivotal role, surprising the defense with a second-ball drop that set up the crucial Daquis attack.
In the second set, Foxies withstood early jitters and pulled away midway through. Holding a slim 14-12 lead, then they unleashed a 5-1 run to create separation, capitalizing on Galeries Tower’s unforced errors. Misfires and a service mistake widened the lead to 19-13. From there, the Foxies maintained control and closed out the frame demonstrating their growing rhythm and ability to manage pressure situations.
The third set followed a similar trajectory. Farm Fresh led by three midway through, but the Highrisers briefly threatened as rookie Jean Asis delivered consecutive aces past Daquis to close the gap to 18-16.
However, an off-speed error from Asis halted the momentum. Galeries Tower’s collapse continued with a centerline violation from Ysa Jimenez, a hitting error from France Ronquillo, and a costly rotation violation. After another extended rally, Audrey Paran’s attack fell short, and Ronquillo capped the match with a service error, handing Farm Fresh the third set win and a clean sweep in one hour and 33 minutes.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 27-25, Set 2: 25-17, Set 3: 25-18
Trisha Tubu, who led the way with 14 points built off her 13 attacks and was named Best Player of the Game.
Jolina Dela Cruz added 11 markers, while Lorene Toring contributed nine. Daquis and Rizza Cruz each chipped in seven points, with Daquis also tallying seven digs. Robins-Hardy, had 14 excellent sets and four points of her own, outplayed her counterpart Ivy Perez, who managed only six excellent sets for Galeries.
For the Highrisers, Ronquillo matched Tubu’s 14-point output, while Asis registered 11. Baliton had eight, Encarnacion chipped in seven, and Jimenez was limited to just three.
The victory marked Farm Fresh’s third consecutive win following an early loss to PLDT. With a 3-1 record, they are in strong contention for a direct quarterfinal berth. They now brace for a high-stakes clash against Nxled (also 3-1) in a virtual playoff for the second automatic Pool A quarterfinal slot, with undefeated PLDT (4-0) already advancing.
Meanwhile, Galeries Tower, still winless at 0-4, aims to salvage some pride when it faces top-seed PLDT in its final pool match.
