AT A GLANCE
The High Speed Hitters are off to a winning start after spoiling Faith Nisperos’ debut with the Chargers for their first win in Pool A.
PLDT overpowered Akari, 25-15, 25-19, 25-22, in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference on Saturday, July 1, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The High Speed Hitters are off to a winning start after spoiling Faith Nisperos’ debut with the Chargers for their first win in Pool A.
Dell Palomata and Rhea Dimaculangan lead PLDT to its first win against Akari in the PVL Invitational Conference. (PVL Images)
Rhea Dimaculangan, who tallied five points and 11 excellent sets, had the full rotation working with her playmaking as the High Speed Hitters finished with a balanced scoring.
Dell Palomata top-scored for PLDT with 14 points on 10 attacks, three blocks and an ace, while Jovielyn Prado finished with 13 points.
Mich Morente, for her part, added 11 points highlighted by three service aces.
It was an 18-5 start in the opening set for PLDT after Dimaculangan’s 1-2 play kept Akari’s defense scrambling.
The Chargers momentarily recovered and went on a 5-1 run capped by Lycha Ebon’s back-to-back points to cut the deficit by a single-digit, 19-10.
However, Morente took flight and hammered down three consecutive hits to widen the gap anew, 22-10.
Akari then pulled itself within nine after another 5-2 run finished off by Dindin Santiago-Manabat’s crosscourt attack, but Palomata punctuated the set with a quick hit.
After trailing 12-7 in the second set, Akari managed to dig itself out of the deficit and for the first time put the match at a deadlock of 13-all.
But it was the last time the Chargers came that close to PLDT as it quickly regained full control of the game to seize a 2-0 set lead.
The High Speed Hitters jumped to a 13-8 lead in the third set, but the Chargers showed some resistance and were able to close the gap at 21-18 through Trisha Genesis’ crosscourt shot.
Jessey De Leon and Palomata, though, scored two successive points for PLDT to maintain some distance from Akari.
Santiago-Manabat continued the fightback for the Chargers with an off-the-block hit before committing a costly service error that put High Speed Hitters at match point, 24-19.
A 3-0 run gave Akari some semblance of life, but Palomata got back on her feet and denied Genesis at the net to seal the win for PLDT.
Meanwhile, Santiago-Manabat was the lone double-digit scorer for Akari with 10 points as Nisperos was held to a five-point outing.
The Chargers joined the Chery Tiggo Crossovers and the Gerflor Defenders in the losing column in Pool A with one each.
