Confidence overload

Games today:

(Philsports Arena)

4 p.m. — Cignal vs Creamline

6:30 p.m. — PLDT vs Chery Tiggo

PLDT is out to prove that its breakthrough title conquest is no fluke when it shifts its sights to the 2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational, unwrapping today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

With just a few days to celebrate the franchise’s first-ever championship after sweeping the pre-season On Tour, the High Speed Hitters buckle down to business once again in the tournament that features the previous contest’s semifinalists with the addition of a pair of high-caliber Japanese squads.

PLDT opens its campaign by rekindling its rivalry against its On Tour final victim, Chery Tiggo, in a slam-bang encounter set at 6:30 p.m.

Facing off in the 4 p.m. curtain-raiser are reigning champion Creamline and Cignal in an equally interesting rematch of last year’s final.

But all eyes are on the High Speed Hitters, who are on cloud nine after capturing the elusive title for the first time since joining the PVL in 2021, as they try to open their back-to-back championship bid on the right track.

Finals Most Valuable Player Mika Reyes, scoring leader Savi Davison, Kim Kianna Dy, setter Kim Fajardo and On Tour Best Middle Blocker Majoy Baron and Best Libero Kath Arado are back to power PLDT.

The High Speed Hitters outlasted the Crossovers, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8, in a winner-take-all encounter witnessed by an 11,055-strong crowd inside the Mall of Asia Arena last Sunday.

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort reminds his players to check their emotions and not rest on their laurels.

“We always tell our players not to settle on what we have achieved today or with our current improvement. You can never settle, and you should strive for improvement,” Ricafort said as he hopes his team will sustain the momentum of its 8-game On Tour sweep.

But taking down Chery Tiggo for a second straight time won’t be easy.

Veteran Ara Galang, Cess Robles, skipper Aby Maraño and middle Imee Hernandez lead the 2021 Open Conference champion’s thirst for revenge.

“We’re taking our experience in the finals into the next tournament. We’ll continue to work and develop as a team and individually,” Galang said.

Meanwhile, the Cool Smashers are out to retain their throne and are looking to dominate the HD Spikers once again after sweeping them in the On Tour’s battle for third.

Creamline and Cignal figured in last year’s Invitational winner-take-all final that went the full five sets as the Cool Smashers completed the league’s first grand slam.

Also competing in the short single round robin tourney are the 2023 Invitational champion Kurashiki Ablaze and Kobe Shinwa University.

Under the competition format, the teams that faced off in the On Tour semifinal won’t be playing each other anymore. This decision was made to give the teams a one-day rest, considering the already tight schedule and the league’s goal to finish the tournament before September.

Prior to the PVL on Tour Final Four, it was agreed that the results of the semifinals would be carried over instead.

As a result, PLDT and Chery Tiggo will begin with a 1-0 win-loss record while Creamline and Cignal will start with 0-1 slates.