The pain of that defeat lingered for months, but the High Speed Hitters turned it into their biggest motivation—one that eventually helped them win a second consecutive championship.
“We tried to forget what happened, but we never forgot how it felt. That feeling of being so close, knowing we could’ve won, but didn’t. That stuck with us,” said Finals MVP Kath Arado in Filipino, after leading her team to the PVL Invitational title just two weeks after the franchise ruled the On Tour tournament.
“We reached a point where we started looking forward to those pressure moments in games. Because if those situations come up again, we now know how to handle them. Looking back, like in that match against Akari, it wasn’t just about that controversial call.”
“Back then, our team went through a tough time. There was sadness, even anger, of course, that’s normal because we worked so hard for it. But at the same time, we also realized we made a lot of mistakes and missed out on opportunities that could’ve [led us to victory],” she added.
And it seemed fate wanted to have a hand in massaging PLDT’s bruises. Arado and High Speed Hitters held off Japan’s Kobe Shinwa University, 21-25, 31-29, 25-22, 25-18, exactly a year after that semifinal heartbreak against Akari.
“Now, it really feels like we’ve made up for all of that, not just the heartbreaks, but all the sacrifices each of us made. We pushed through the pain and the exhaustion. Like Savi (Davison) said, there were times when we didn’t even want to show up because we were so tired. Plus, we were still carrying the weight of past heartbreaks,” said Arado.
“The On Tour experience also helped a lot, even though we were constantly traveling and exhausted, everyone stayed mentally locked in. And playing against Kobe was a huge learning moment for us. Our patience was really tested. We realized that patience isn’t just something you gain from playing for a long time. It depends on the kind of opponent you’re facing.”
Rald Ricacfort was relieved to finally experience the stars aligning for PLDT, almost literally. The team had its full roster activated and healthy, with Davison and Arado linking up with Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron, Kim Fajardo and even Alas stars Alleiah Malaluan and Dell Palomata.
PLDT is now 13-0 through two tournaments and is unwilling to stop.
“[W]e need to approach every conference with the same hunger, like we’re still chasing something,” said Ricafort in Filipino.
The championship was elusive for Arado during her playing years with the University of the East and even at the start of her career as a High Speed Hitter. And reaching the top for two tournaments in a row was a cloud nine feeling for the first libero to win the PVL Finals MVP.
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“I honestly feel giddy because we’ve been praying and working so hard for this kind of title for so long. Just being part of this moment feels so rewarding. The respect we’re getting as a team. It’s not something that just comes easily. You really have to Earn it through hard work, so I’m really, really happy,” she said. INQ
