Under siege by a fired-up Choco Mucho side in the second set, PLDT never flinched. Drawing from the poise and experience honed through back-to-back championship campaigns, the High Speed Hitters weathered the Flying Titans’ strongest surge of the night, then reasserted control in Set 3 to complete a dominant 25-21, 25-20, 25-19 win in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the Araneta Coliseum late Thursday.

Unlike in its clinical straight-set victory over Capital1 earlier in the week, PLDT was made to dig deep, especially in a tense second frame where momentum teetered dangerously. But instead of folding, the High Speed Hitters leaned on their core strengths – a rock-solid net defense and a cool, composed floor presence that has become a hallmark of their reign.

“When you’re on the court, all you want is to do your best for the team,” said Savi Davison, who was surprised by her 19-point performance, including three blocks, which earned her another Best Player of the Game award. “You put yourself on the backburner and focus on showing up and doing what’s asked of you.”

“So, I’m just happy that it turned out the way it did,” added Davison, who also finished with seven excellent digs and nine receptions after a 22-point, nine-reception showing against the Solar Spikers.

Anastasiia Bavykina backed Davison with 13 points, while Kim Dy added nine markers, and middle blockers Majoy Baron and Dell Palomata chipped in six and five points, respectively, as PLDT outclassed Choco Mucho in attacks, 43-34, and controlled the net with 10 blocks –doubling the Titans’ output.

The High Speed Hitters’ dominant performance also spoiled the much-anticipated debut of Marlee Smith, who delivered an impressive 20 points. However, Choco Mucho’s local players struggled against PLDT’s relentless defense.

Isa Molde, Aduke Ogunsanya and Cherry Nunag were limited to just four points each, while Kat Tolentino managed only two and Maddie Madayag went scoreless after scoring 10 and 18 points, respectively, in their four-set victory over the Cignal Super Spikers.

Behind that PLDT wall, libero Kath Arado provided masterful support, reading attacks with precision and digging up rockets that could have turned the tide in Choco Mucho’s favor. Her stability and toughness in the backline allowed PLDT to stay in system and launch counter-attacks with confidence.

Arado finished with 17 excellent digs.

With its defense holding strong, the offense flowed freely. PLDT’s seamless transition from blocks and digs to rapid-fire attacks overwhelmed the Flying Titans in the third set. Taking four of the first five points, the High Speed Hitters set the tone early and never let up, sealing the match in just an hour and 24 minutes.

It was PLDT’s 15th straight win dating back to their unbeaten PVL On Tour run, and another statement victory as they continue to dominate Pool A. They now turn their sights on a 16-0 sweep when they face winless Cignal on Tuesday.

PLDT’s composure under pressure was on full display in the second set, when Choco Mucho launched its fiercest assault, unleashing a flurry of aggressive attacks to seize a 16-14 lead. But the High Speed Hitters remained unfazed. With a commanding presence at the net and excellent floor coverage, they steadily turned the tide – thwarting multiple attacks and capitalizing on crucial opportunities with their trademark quick transitions.

PLDT’s vaunted blocking unit, the backbone of its two-title run in the On Tour and Invitational, came up big again – thwarting not just the Flying Titans’ power plays but also frustrating their rhythm.

Even when Smith tried to spark Choco Mucho, she found herself repeatedly stonewalled or forced into errors by a relentless wall of defense.

At times visibly exasperated, Smith struggled to break through a net defense that combined both height and timing with near-perfection.

Smith’s backrow attack error handed PLDT a commanding 14-5 lead in the third set. The Titans, however, showed signs of life with the entry of Royse Tubino, stringing together five straight points to trim the deficit to 12-18. They pulled even closer at 15-19 after Smith denied Dy’s drop-ball attempt with a solid block.

But the High Speed Hitters quickly regained momentum, sparked by Davison, who took matters into her own hands. Davison delivered a blistering cross-court kill, followed it up with a crucial block on Dindin Manabat, then capped the run with a well-placed off-speed shot to restore control at 23-18.

Bavykina sealed the match with a powerful hit through the block, before Baron closed it out with a quick attack, securing the win for PLDT.