PLDT High Speed Hitters crushed Farm Fresh’s momentum from their back-to-back victories, securing a 25-20, 25-23, 25-23 win to gain the needed push heading into the crossover phase of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig yesterday (Thursday).
Facing a determined Farm Fresh team riding high on two consecutive victories, the High Speed Hitters showcased their grit and composure to prevail in a tightly contested match that lasted one hour and 21 minutes.
PLDT’s victory was even more impressive given their tough five-set defeat to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers last weekend.
Elena Samoilenko continued her streak of steady performances, and the locals delivered superb all-around games, leading the High Speed Hitters to their fourth win against one loss, thus securing their place in the next round of the Pool A eliminations.
This victory also advanced Creamline and Chery Tiggo, who both hold 3-1 records, to the next round as top teams, while Farm Fresh finished fourth with a 2-3 mark.
The next phase will see the top three teams from Pool A clashing with the bottom three from Pool B and vice versa, with the Top 8 advancing to the knockout quarterfinals of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
“Everyone is happy with the adjustments we’ve made, we really worked hard,” said ace playmaker Kim Fajardo in Filipino, who produced 12 excellent sets and scored three points to earn the game’s top honors.
Looking ahead to the crossover round, Fajardo emphasized the need for the team to stay focused and study each opponent, while praising the team’s camaraderie and chemistry.
“The connection within the team is great, both on and off the court,” she said, highlighting the importance of cohesion and unity.
Samoilenko, despite being ranked No. 8 in scoring among the imports, fired 22 points and made nine excellent receptions. Fiola Ceballos supported her with 11 points and 10 excellent digs. Mika Reyes, Erika Santos and Majoy Baron combined for 20 points, helping the High Speed Hitters dominate upfront with nine blocks against the Foxies’ three.
Despite the Foxies keeping it close throughout the match, rallying to within 22-23 in the third set, a service fault ultimately hindered their efforts to extend the game. The High Speed Hitters clinched the win by scoring two of the last three points.
Trisha Tubu led Farm Fresh with 17 points, while import Leny Murillo was held to just 11 markers.
