Savannah Davison leads PLDT High Speed Hitters against Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – With their fate already decided just before facing defending champion Creamline, PLDT ended their PVL 2024 All-Filipino Conference with a bang.
The High Speed Hitters defeated the Cool Smashers in the semi-final for the first time, 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, 27-25, on Thursday night, behind Savannah Davison's 27 points achieved in 25 attacks plus a block and an ace.
Chery Tiggo's five-set victory over Galeries Tower in the previous game ended PLDT's semi-final hopes and helped the High Speed Hitters break an eight-game losing streak against the Cool Smashers.
READ: CALENDAR: PVL All-Filipino Conference 2024
“We just had to give it our all because there was nothing we could lose. Thinking about it now, we beat the top two teams in the conference. It really shows that when we show up, when we do our best, the sky is the limit,” said Davison, who had an attacking efficiency of 42%.
“I think from that and just being able to show up without that motivation, that extra 'we can make it to the semi-finals' (mindset) helped us play our best,” she added as PLDT ended their campaign with an 8-3 finish placing No. .5 for the second time in a row.
Savi Davison of PLDT's high-speed hitters. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Erika Santos let loose with 15 points on 12 attacks with 41 percent attack efficiency, two blocks and an ace, while Fiola Ceballos contributed 13 points thanks to 16 excellent sets from Kim Fajardo.
Davison also finished with 15 excellent receptions with libero and captain Kath Arado leading the PLDT ground defense with 16 excellent digs and six excellent receptions.
READ: PVL: Savi Davison 'more confident' in role as PLDT's favorite player
Creamline maintained fourth place despite absorbing their third defeat in 11 games, Jema Galanza scored 16 points on 14 attacks, a block and an ace, while Tots Carlos, who played on the bench in the first three sets, added 12 points.
Pangs Panaga finished with 11 points, while Michele Gumabao, who started in the first three sets in place of Carlos, had eight points.
WATCH: PLDT coach Rald Ricafort and Savi Davison on ending the All-Philippine Conference on a high note. #PVL2024 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/q5GNM7QoTs
– INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 25, 2024
“Knowing that and going into next season and using that and putting it forward will be really helpful in terms of adding motivation and determination, knowing that we were capable of what we did tonight,” Davison said.
Down a set and struggling to prolong the match, Creamline led for most of the fourth frame before Santos delivered a kill into the Cool Smashers' net that tied the game at 22.
Davison allowed PLDT to lead for a brief moment before Carlos scored from the back line to tie the game again at 24 points for an extended set.
Galanza got a point between Santos attacks, one of which was a combination play that gave the High Speed Hitters some breathing room at 26-25, before Majoy Baron blocked a Galanza attempt to seal the result.
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“It was mentioned to them (speed hitters) their mentality coming into this game, of course, to finish it on a high note at the same time, that's really the goal of every conference is to get nine wins, so we thought, yeah that, so if we didn’t do it, we would be two games behind,” said PLDT coach Rald Ricafort.
“Hopefully we can achieve that at the next conference. But at least our preparation for the next conference is over and it is quite positive”, added Ricafort.
