For Ho Chi Minh, there could hardly have been a better way to announce its emergence from an 0-2 hole than by bringing down the defending champion.

With no need for flashy moves or spectacular flourishes, the Vietnamese simply stuck to their patterns, executed them to the hilt and, before a stunned crowd at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday night, turned back PLDT High Speed Hitters, 28-26, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, in the PVL Invitational.

The one-hour, 50-minute victory did more than snap what had been an alarming two-game skid. It suddenly transformed Ho Chi Minh from a team fighting merely to stay alive into a legitimate contender for the second and final berth in the championship round.

After opening the tournament with losses to Farm Fresh and Creamline, Ho Chi Minh finally found the chemistry that had been missing in its first two outings. And the Vietnamese found it at the expense of no less than the reigning champions.

Creamline had earlier moved closer to the Finals after scoring its third straight victory, leaving Farm Fresh, Ho Chi Minh and PLDT locked at 1-2. EST Cola of Thailand and Nxled, both carrying 1-1 records, were still playing at presstime.

Suddenly, the race for the other Finals berth has become wide open – and Ho Chi Minh, once seemingly on the outside looking in, is right in the middle of it.

“We’re happy but very surprised with the unity of the team, leading to a win today,” said Ho Chi Minh captain Thi Kim Thanh Dang, who led the charge with 19 points.

Young Thi Bich Diep Ho added 18 points, while Thi My Xuyen Le and Thi Nhung Dao chipped in 14 apiece as the Vietnamese finally put together the kind of cohesive performance they had been searching for after struggling through their first two matches.

A big part of that turnaround came from setter Thi Hoai Mi Nguyen, who made sure practically everyone was involved in the offense. Nguyen finished with 23 excellent sets, matching the output of PLDT playmaker Kim Fajardo.

“After the two losses we worked really hard to fix the errors,” said Dang.

The Vietnamese did exactly that.

They cleaned up their offensive patterns, became more disciplined in transition and, most importantly, put together a resolute defensive effort that repeatedly frustrated PLDT’s attack.

Instead of relying on one or two players to carry the load, Ho Chi Minh spread the offense around and kept PLDT guessing. The result was a balanced attack that eventually wore down the High Speed Hitters.

Kim Dy erupted for a game-high 25 points and Savi Davison added 16, but their production was more than offset by the four Vietnamese players who reached double figures.

Ho Chi Minh also won the attacking battle, 64-57, while Le and Ho spearheaded a stifling net defense, combining for nine of the team’s 10 blocks – one more than PLDT managed.

After splitting the first two sets, Ho Chi Minh seized control in the third, then steadily pulled away in the fourth. The Vietnamese defense kept getting in the way of PLDT’s attempts to mount a comeback, while their offense remained composed enough to finish the job.

It was a far cry from the team that had looked disjointed in its opening two matches.

Now, with Creamline closing in on the first Finals berth, the battle for the other championship slot has been dramatically reshaped by Ho Chi Minh’s resurgence.

The Vietnamese will try to sustain that momentum when action resumes Friday against the Chameleons, knowing another victory could put them in an even stronger position to complete what would be a remarkable turnaround.

Creamline, meanwhile, goes for the clincher against EST Cola of Thailand, while PLDT and Farm Fresh collide in what could amount to a virtual knockout match.

For Ho Chi Minh, however, the equation is suddenly much simpler: after starting 0-2 and looking vulnerable, the Vietnamese have rediscovered their rhythm at precisely the right time – and are now very much in the hunt.