THE last time PLDT set foot at the Mall of Asia Arena, it left the court heartbroken and dejected after a controversial semifinals loss to Akari in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
A contentious net fault challenge on Akari saw PLDT's match point fade away in a tightly-contested fifth set, before ultimately losing the match and missing out on what would've been its first finals apperance at the time.
READ: PLDT a champion at last after surviving Chery Tiggo fightback
Two weeks to the one-year anniversary of that infamous contest, tears of sorrow turned into tears of joy and relief for the High Speed Hitters.
It was at the heart of Pasay City in which PLDT won its first franchise championship in a five-set thriller against Chery Tiggo to close out the 2025 PVL on Tour on Sunday in front of an 11,055-strong crowd.
Playing at the same venue that left them crushed and at their worst gave PLDT an extra push to bring home the title that has eluded them for eight years.
“Motivation siya sa amin na kailangan pa namin mag-improve kasi hindi naman namin puwedeng isisi sa isang side lang, may kasalanan din kami sa part na yun,” said captain Kath Arado.
What the preseason’s best libero also saw firsthand in comparing last year’s PLDT team to this year is how they’ve grown to be more composed and steadfast in the face of adversity.
“Kinaiailangan lang talaga naming iimprove yung sarili namin pero at the same time, masaya kasi yung maturity ng team, talagang present ngayong game na ito eh,” Arado added.
“Yun talaga yung siguro naging key namin para makuha itong championship.”
No heartbreaks this time
After years of dealing with one too many ‘almosts’ in pursuit of championship glory, Finals MVP Mika Reyes also took pride on how the team has had enough of the ‘what-ifs’ and can now look ahead to what can still be as newly-crowned champions.
“Sobrang frustrating talaga siya pero at the same time, ‘yung sinabi rin ni coach na sa lahat ng mga heartbreaks na na-experience namin, hindi pa rin kami tumigil, I think ‘yun ‘yung nagpapasarap talaga sa championship na ‘to," Reyes said. “Kahit anong nangyari the past few years, mas naging motivation pa sa amin ‘yun."
"Sobrang saya lang. Wala akong masabi ngayon, hindi ko alam kung ano ‘yung right words to say. Basta ang alam ko lang, masaya kaming lahat and deserve talaga namin ‘tong panalo na ‘to.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
