Kath Arado savors first-ever PVL title win with PLDT

After years of heartbreak, PLDT High Speed Hitters’ libero Kath Arado is finally a champion.

PLDT captured its first-ever Premier Volleyball League (PVL) crown after outlasting the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in a dramatic five-set battle, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8, before 11,055 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, August 17.

The High Speed Hitters looked headed for a sweep after taking the first two sets, but Chery Tiggo mounted a fierce comeback to force a decider. With momentum slipping, veteran middle blocker Mika Reyes delivered her best performance yet, scoring a career-high 20 points on 13 kills and seven blocks to earn Finals MVP honors.

Reyes received ample support from import Savannah Davison, who fired a game-high 23 points, while Erika Dy and Majoy Baron chipped in 13 apiece. Anchoring the defense was Arado, who tallied 29 digs and 13 excellent receptions, while setter Kim Fajardo kept the offense humming with 25 excellent sets.

For Arado, the championship marked a career breakthrough. The 27-year-old had never reached a finals series before—falling short with the University of the East Lady Warriors in the UAAP and suffering multiple semifinal and quarterfinal exits with PLDT.

PVL | WATCH:

PLDT’s Rald Ricafort, Finals MVP Mika Reyes, Savi Davison, and Best Libero Kath Arado on winning the #PVLonTour championship. #PVL2025 pic.twitter.com/G75fuXPGEP

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 17, 2025

“Right now, I honestly can’t even put into words what I’m feeling. I’m just really, really grateful to be part of this team—to have these coaches, these teammates. I’m so proud that I get to wear this championship shirt with them,” Arado said after the match.

She added: “This journey wasn’t easy. Things got emotional, but our coaches were so patient with us, especially with me. They always reminded me to ‘set the tone.’ That patience stuck with us, and we brought it into this championship.”

Arado, who joined PLDT in 2022 after a stint with Petro Gazz, also paid tribute to her squad’s resilience.

“From Day 1, we’ve made so many sacrifices as a team. The coaches were fully hands-on in every game, every opponent. We just had to apply everything they gave us,” she said. “We went through so many injuries, it felt like they never stopped. But now that we were finally complete, winning the championship this way makes me so proud.”

The High Speed Hitters now shift their focus to the PVL Invitational Conference, which begins Thursday, August 21, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. Fittingly, they will open against familiar rivals Chery Tiggo, in a rematch of their PVL On Tour finals clash.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.