PLDT outlasted a very game, very talented Chery Tiggo squad.
The semis cast of the PVL Invitational Conference is complete.
Catching the last ride to the next round were the PLDT High Speed Hitters, who dispatched on Tuesday the revamped Chery Tiggo Crossovers in a thrilling five-setter, 25-21, 16-25, 25-23, 25-27, 15-12, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Mean Mendrez, cool as a cucumber in a tense fifth set, led the way for PLDT, scoring 16 points built on 13 attacks and 3 blocks—including a couple in the decider to tow the High Speed Hitters past the very game Crossovers.
And, in the postgame Player-of-the-Game interview, Mendrez let it be known what and who the High Speed Hitters are playing for.
The first one, obviously, is winning.
‘Yung mindset namin, same goal pa rin [which is to win],” said Mendrez. “Lahat ng pinaghandaan namin kahit before semis pa, ganon pa rin. Focus pa rin kami sa ilalaro namin sa next game. Lahat ng game kasi importante.”
The other one, and this is arguably bigger than the game itself, is fellow High Speed Hitter Jovy Prado, who was confirmed to have torn her left ACL after a scary fall in PLDT’s game versus the Creamline Cool Smashers last Thursday.
“Para sa kanya talaga ‘yung nilalaban namin ngayon,” Mendrez pointed out postgame. “Alam ko naman na sobrang pinaghirapan niya ‘yung before ‘tong conference na ‘to. So, para hindi siya ma-feel bad, ibabawi namin siya. Para sa kanya ‘yung lahat ng games namin.
It has been so far so good in that regard for PLDT, who previously won against the Gerflor Defenders in Prado’s first game out due to her injury.
PLDT will be joining Creamline as the two semifinalists from Group A, while the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers and the Cignal HD Spikers from Group B will advance to the next round.