The PLDT High Speed Hitters and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles will meet once more after their recent encounter in Passi, this time battling it out in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round.
The 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round continues with crucial matchups determining the road to the quarterfinals.
Among the key duels, the PLDT High Speed Hitters, the no. 4 seed, will face no. 9 ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday, March 4.
The two teams previously met last weekend in Passi City, Iloilo, where PLDT won convincingly in straight sets. Now, with higher stakes, ZUS Coffee looks to turn the tables.
Experience vs Youth
PLDT enters the match with an 8-3 record, showcasing strong performances throughout the preliminary round.
Led by the offensive firepower of Savi Davison and the leadership of Majoy Baron, the High Speed Hitters have proven their ability to compete with the league’s best, highlighted by a key victory over Creamline.
Coming off a solid preliminary round campaign, PLDT has an opportunity to secure a quarterfinal spot with a win. Their experience and depth, anchored by Mika Reyes and Fiola Ceballos, make them formidable opponents.
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Meanwhile, ZUS Coffee finished the preliminaries at 4-7, landing in the no. 9 spot. Despite struggling with consistency, the Thunderbelles have shown flashes of brilliance, with Jovelyn Gonzaga and Thea Gagate leading the charge.
Lacking some fight in them in their previous encounter, the Cloanne Mondonedo and Michelle Gamit will hope to put on a better showing this time around.
What’s at stake?
A win for PLDT would secure the High Speed Hitters a direct quarterfinal berth, keeping them in contention for a deep playoff run.
On the other hand, a loss would send them to the play-in tournament, making their path to the quarterfinals more challenging.
For ZUS Coffee, a victory would signal the biggest win so far in franchise history, while a defeat would put them in a do-or-die situation moving forward.
[ALSO READ: What to expect from the upcoming qualifying round in 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference?]
Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. as the High Speed Hitters and Thunderbelles battle for a spot in the next round.