PLDT displayed grace under pressure coming back from three points down in the deciding set to outlast erstwhile unbeaten Creamline, 30-28, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14, in the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Saturday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Savi Davison delivered the goods and the High Speed Hitters’ vaunted net defense held in the crucial stretch of the extended fifth set for their third straight win.

PLDT improved to a 7-3 win-loss record and handed Creamline its first loss of the season, snapping the five-peat-seeking’s 19-game winning streak since last year’s Reinforced Conference prelims second round.

Davison dropped 34 points with 29 coming off kills including the High Speed Hitters’ pair of matchpoint advantages and had five kill blocks. The Filipino-American was also active on the defensive end, submitting 17 excellent receptions for PLDT, which survived a shaky start in the fifth frame.

Four other players finished in double figures in a well-balanced scoring for the High Speed Hitters.

“Happy that everybody contributed from the bench to the starters. It’s balanced. It’s a long and tiring game but luckily we pulled through. Just proud with the way the team played,” PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said.   

Fiola Ceballos scored 14 points punctuated by a kill block off Cool Smashers winger Tots Carlos’ spike to end the two-hour, 52-minute encounter. Ceballos added 11 excellent receptions and 16 digs.

Majoy Baron had 15 points, Mika Reyes chipped in 12 markers, Erika Santos scored 11 while Angge Alcantara tallied 21 excellent sets to help PLDT convert 72 attack points.

The High Speed Hitters clawed back from 8-5 down with a 4-0 run and even went up 13-10. Creamline behind Bernadeth Pons fought back to tie it at 13.

Davison pushed PLDT at match point but Pons quickly answered with a down the line kill for a deuce. Davison fired back with a well-placed hit to an undefended back row before Ceballos' defensive gem.

Despite sliding to a 9-1 mark tied with surging Petro Gazz, the Cool Smashers retained its seat on top of the standings.

Pons had 23 points with 20 coming off spikes and had nine digs and 12 excellent receptions while Carlos scored 16 markers for Creamline, whose last loss was a five-setter at the hands of the Angels before stringing 19 straight wins.

Bea de Leon and Jema Galanza had 11 points each.