PLDT survives Farm Fresh in five-set thriller; Cignal sweeps ZUS Coffee in PVL action

PLDT proved it could win ugly when it mattered most.

The High Speed Hitters endured a tense five-set battle before finally shaking off a stubborn Farm Fresh side, 25-17, 23-25, 27-25, 21-25, 15-10, to seize the solo lead in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Playtime Filoil Centre.

With the win, PLDT improved to 5-1 and moved past sister team Cignal at the top of the standings.

But the victory hardly came easy.

After taking the opening set with relative comfort, the High Speed Hitters were repeatedly pushed to the brink by the Foxies, who refused to fade despite facing a deeper and more experienced lineup.

Farm Fresh answered every surge. It stole the second set, stretched the third into an extended duel, and forced a decider by outlasting PLDT again in the fourth.

The High Speed Hitters finally regained control when it mattered most.

Savi Davison sparked the decisive run in the fifth frame, scoring back-to-back points before Jessey De Leon and Angge Alcantara followed with key contributions in a 4-0 burst that pushed PLDT to match point at 14-9.

After an Alcantara service error briefly delayed the finish, Davison slammed a crosscourt kill to seal the victory and cap a dominant individual outing.

Davison finished with 32 points built on 28 attacks, three blocks, and one ace, while Kianna Dy added 19 markers as PLDT leaned on its firepower.

Despite committing a game-high 30 errors, the High Speed Hitters made up for it with superior offense, dominating Farm Fresh in attacks, 74-59, and blocks, 14-7.

On the other side, Ria Meneses led the Foxies with 17 points, while Trisha Tubu and Ces Molina chipped in 16 and 14, respectively.

Farm Fresh slipped to 2-4 after dropping its second straight five-set heartbreaker and will try to regroup when it faces Choco Mucho on March 10. PLDT, meanwhile, takes on Galeries Tower on the same day at the same San Juan venue.

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TRIPLE-DOUBLE SAVANNAH

Savi Davison powers PLDT with an all-around performance, also posting her conference-high scoring output in their thrilling five-set victory over Farm Fresh in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.#PVL2026 #TheHeartofVolleyball pic.twitter.com/FRtZfTeNX6

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) March 5, 2026

SUPER COMEBACK

Rose Doria-Aquino and the Cignal Super Spikers return to winning form, withstanding the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in straight sets in their 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference showdown.#PVL2026 #TheHeartofVolleyball pic.twitter.com/HtmTcOJhMh

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) March 5, 2026

Earlier, Cignal bounced back emphatically from its previous loss, sweeping ZUS Coffee, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22, to stay within striking distance in the standings.

The Super Spikers improved to 5-2, reclaiming their rhythm while handing the Thunderbelles their fourth straight defeat.

Cignal seized control in the second set behind an unlikely source.

With the frame tied at 23, veteran setter Gel Cayuna stepped up not with her playmaking but with timely scoring. She first rejected Cess Robles at the net for set point before finishing the set herself with a through-the-block hit in an out-of-system play to give Cignal a commanding 2-0 lead.

ZUS Coffee tried to mount a comeback in the third, building a 15-11 cushion, but the Super Spikers showed their poise down the stretch.

Vanie Gandler led the response, delivering four of Cignal’s final six points as the Super Spikers closed out the match in one hour and 26 minutes.

Rose Doria-Aquino added 11 points on nine attacks and two blocks, while Erika Santos and Jackie Acuña chipped in nine and eight points, respectively.

The Thunderbelles, who dropped to 1-6 in the tournament, were led by Thea Gagate and Chinnie Arroyo with 11 points each.

Cignal returns to action on March 14 against Capital1, while ZUS Coffee looks to halt its slide when it faces Nxled next Thursday at the same venue.

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