FARM Fresh and Galeries Tower's preliminary clash in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference has etched itself in league record books.
The second frame of their face-off, which tied the match at a set apiece, lasted 45 minutes, with the Highrisers eventually emerging victorious, 37-35. It was the second-longest set - in terms of score - in the PVL's seven years of existence.
If you thought a volleyball match with set scores in the 30s is something else, though, what if we told you there was actually one game wherein one team breached the 40-point mark in one frame?
Most grueling: Choco Mucho 41 - 39 Pacific Town-Army
The contest between Choco Mucho and Pacific Town-Army in the 2019 Open Conference produced the longest set in PVL history prior to the league turning pro two years later.
It happened in Set 1, as the Flying Titans finally beat the Lady Troopers, 41-39, after 51 minutes. Kat Tolentino fired 23 points built on 19 attacks, three blocks, and one ace to star in the scintillating set.
The well-earned win, however, went for naught. Choco Mucho won the second set, too, but eventually lost the game, with Pacific Town-Army battling back behind Jovelyn Gonzaga’s 24-piece and now-Flying Titan Royse Tubino’s 21 to take the last three sets.
FINAL: Pacific Town-Army def. Choco Mucho, 39-41, 19-25, 25-19, 25-20, 15-12.
Second-most grueling (tie): Galeries Tower 37 - 35 Farm Fresh
Back and forth and back and forth they went, but Galeries Tower ultimately prevailed in the hardfought second set.
With 11 deadlocks, seven Highrisers set points, and five Foxies set points, the frame was a nip-and-tuck affair before Galeries Tower came out on top, 37-35.
READ: Farm Fresh ends slump in game that features second longest PVL set ever
The two teams, both winless, dueled for three quarters of an hour until the Highrisers took flight through Graze Bombita and Thai import Sutadta Chuewulim.
FINAL: Farm Fresh def. Galeries Tower, 25-22, 35-37, 23-25, 25-20, 15-10.
Second-most grueling (tie): Petro Gazz 37 - 35 Cignal
Before Galeries Tower and Farm Fresh’s 45-minute frame, Petro Gazz and Cignal were the first two teams to settle a set at 37-35 two years ago in the same conference.
The two title contenders duked it out in what was then the PVL’s single longest set as a professional league in Game One of the 2022 Reinforced Conference finals.
By taking an extended third set through 34 huge points from eventual Finals MVP Lindsey Vander Weide, the Angels drew first blood en route to a title series sweep for their second and most recent PVL title.
FINAL: Petro Gazz def. Cignal, 25-21, 27-25, 37-35.
Fourth-most grueling: Farm Fresh 36 - 34 Creamline
Creamline extended what was once a 16-game win streak in their first match of the season-opening 2024 All-Filipino Conference, but not without a proper challenge.
It was also Farm Fresh which sent the eight-time PVL champions to the edge in the first set of the season-opener — one that saw the Cool Smashers squander 12 set points in the 45-minute frame.
At the time, that set became the league’s longest since the turning pro, featuring Tots Carlos’ team-high 19-point display for Creamline, as well as Trisha Tubu’s 19-point night and Kate Santiago’s 11 for the Foxies.
FINAL: Creamline def. Farm Fresh, 34-36, 25-23, 25-22, 25-15.
Fifth-most grueling: F2 Logistics 35 - 33 Petro Gazz
In last year’s Invitational Conference, now-defunct F2 Logistics made a strong impression over two-time PVL champion Petro Gazz in a 51-minute, four-set preliminary-round marathon.
Majoy Baron’s 16 points and now-Akari ace Ivy Lacsina’s 15 set up what was shaping up to be a brewing Cargo Movers comeback, only to fall flat in the fifth set.
Now-Charger Grethcel Soltones (31 points) and Jonah Sabete (20 points) joined forces for the Angels to triumph in five thrilling sets.
FINAL: Petro Gazz def. F2 Logistics, 20-25, 25-22, 25-12, 33-35, 15-9.
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