PLDT stormed into the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals, punching the first ticket with an 18-25, 25-23, 25-14, 25-22 win of Farm Fresh in the qualifying round on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Costly late-game errors by the Foxies, coupled with the steady scoring of Kianna Dy and Savi Davison, sealed the High Speed Hitters' entry to the next phase set in two weeks.
Top-seeded PLDT bounced back big-time from a tough prelims-ending loss to Nxled, snapping Farm Fresh’s three-game win run in the process.
It marked the High Speed Hitters' sixth straight tournament advancing past the preliminaries and into the next phase, with two of those runs ending in championships.
Dy showed the way in their repeat win over th Foxies just like in the preliminaries with 19 points and six digs, behind Davison's 22-point, 11-reception double-double.
"We had the mindset of really winning today because if it was the other way around, we would have had a harder path today kasi 'yung pool namin ay mahirap," he said.
"'Yun 'yung sinabi rin ng coaches namin na magiging mahirap 'yung game, so kung sino talagang mas gustong manalo, 'yun 'yung manalo.
Majoy Baron also turned in 11 points, with Alleiah Malaluan adding 10 markers.
Semis on speed dial
Farm Fresh struck early and turned a 12-all tie into a 22-16 cushion in the opening set, unloading a key run capped by a Trisha Tubu kill block on Davison to seize control.
Momentum swung in the second, with PLDT battling back from a 20-22 deficit behind a late surge and a string of Farm Fresh miscues, including a costly four-touch violation that allowed the High Speed Hitters to draw level.
Malaluan jumpstarted a 7-0 third-set surge from the service area at 12-all, with Dy and Davison taking over to put PLDT firmly in control.
The Foxies threw everything they had left and capitalized on a couple of High Speed Hitter miscues, including back-to-back attack errors from Davison, to save two match points and extend the fight.
But the Fil-Canadian winger made sure to make up for it, redeeming herself with a well-placed drop shot that finally sealed the four-set win.
A gutsy 25-point outing from Tubu still fell short for Farm Fresh, even with Ces Molina backing her up with a 14-point, 11-dig effort and Royse Tubino chipping in 10 points and 16 receptions.
With the loss, the Foxies now heads to a do-or-die clash against the winner of the Nxled-Galeries Tower play-in, their last chance to crack the semifinals.
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