PLDT passes thru Nxled despite a slow start

PLDT High Speed Hitters defeated Nxled Chameleons 22-25, 25-17, 25-11, and 25-20 to move to joint third in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. 

The PLDT High Speed Hitters, unfazed by the Chameleons’ impressive opening performance, changed their strategy in the second and subsequent frames, displaying their strength, skill, and grace as they forced their rivals to struggle to keep up en route to a one-hour and forty-six-minute victory.

The Chameleons were able to save four match points before Rachel Austero stopped their run and ended the match with a kill. The High Speed Hitters did regroup in the second and the following two sets. However, they relaxed a little in the fourth.

The High Speed Hitters defeated the Chameleons, 67-35 in spiking. Fil-Canadian Savanah Davison scored twenty attack points and finished with 21 markers, Erika Santos scored 17, and Honey Royse Tubino contributed 13 points.

While Austero and Mean Mendrez finished with three points apiece in brief appearances, Mika Reyes and Dell Palomata handled the middle and scored eight points each. Coach Rald Ricafort relied on his bench depth to effectively blunt the push against the Chameleons.

Veteran playmaker Rhea Dimaculangan, who led the team to victory with 20 outstanding sets, ten more than Nxled’s Kamille Cal, was named the player of the match.

On the other side, Chiara Permentilla finished with seven markers. Krich Macaslang and Judith Abil matched six-point outputs following a superb display of teamwork and guts in the opening set. Lycha Ebon, who put in most of her 11-point effort in the first 28 minutes, found it difficult to find her range in the following three sets.