What began as a showcase of net dominance and middle-line firepower turned into a grueling test of will, nerve and resilience. But in the end, PLDT proved it had more than just muscle – they had the heart of a champion.

Squandering a 2-0 lead in a winner-take-all match could have shattered the psyche of even the most seasoned squad. For a team untested in such high-stakes pressure, the moment felt like a trapdoor – one misstep away from collapse.

But the High Speed Hitters didn’t just survive the scare. They stormed back the way future champions do: focused, fearless and ferocious.

And in that fifth and final set, they didn’t blink.

Yes, Savi Davison’s explosive presence helped tip the momentum back in their favor. Yes, they needed composure in the most crucial points. But what sealed it was their tried-and-tested formula – commanding the net, blocking lanes and exploiting the middle with quick, lethal strikes.

Mika Reyes stood at the center of that onslaught. When Chery Tiggo’s defense hesitated for a split second, Reyes was already landing from her attack – the ball logged on the scoresheet. One, two, three, four rapid-fire kills later, the scoreboard began to tip.

Then came a kill block from Majoy Baron, a clutch denial by Reyes, and a punctuation mark: a back-breaking crosscourt hammer from Kianna Dy.

What fans expected to be a tense, see-sawing decider instead turned into a coronation. PLDT didn’t just win – they took the fifth set in emphatic, almost cruel fashion, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8, before a screaming Sunday crowd of more than 11,000 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It was a fitting conclusion for a squad that had long stood in the shadows, haunted by missed chances and painful losses – none more bitter than last year’s controversial semifinal exit in the Reinforced Conference.

“I'm not a religious person,” PLDT coach Rald Ricafort said in Filipino.

“But I understood the prayer we always shared – that the team would grow tougher and more resilient. And all those heartbreaks, all those near-misses, I now see them as necessary. They prepared us for this.”

He added, “I’m just proud of how the girls held on until the very last set. That was the mindset we wanted – strong, brave, unbreakable.”

Ricafort didn’t shy away from acknowledging his players’ growth.

“Mika was phenomenal. Savi, the usual. But what I’m most proud of is the team’s grip – that refusal to let go. This one’s sweet because we’ve been chasing this feeling for a long time.”

While technically a pre-season tournament, the title meant more than just hardware. For PLDT, it was redemption – and a statement.

“You can never settle,” Ricafort added.

“We tell the players that all the time. Improvement isn’t a destination – it’s a daily grind. Each year, new lineups emerge. You can’t stand still. You have to keep pushing.”

PLDT capped off the campaign with back-to-back five-set wins, completing an unblemished eight-game sweep.

“It’s not just the championship that makes me happy,” Ricafort said.

“It’s the fact that we finally overcame something we’ve struggled with for so long – finishing the job in tough matches. That’s what makes this so satisfying. It’s the result of every bit of hard work and heartbreak since last year.”