The PLDT High Speed Hitters. Photo from PVL Media Bureau

MANILA (UPDATED) – PLDT has dashed Choco Mucho’s hopes of entering the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference playoffs.

The High Speed Hitters, despite stumbling in the opening canto, regained their form and ousted the Flying Titans in four sets, 21-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-19, on Thursday at FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.

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The loss also meant ending Choco Mucho’s streak of consecutive silver finishes from the 2023 Second All-Filipino and 2024 All-Filipino.

They played in the no-tomorrow match without their primary shot-caller, Dante Alinsunurin, and Greek reinforcement Zoi Faki.

Alinsunurin is in Indonesia to help Alas Pilipinas Men in the 2024 SEA V.League, while Faki was feeling ill.

Meanwhile, for the winning side, PLDT will be entering the quarters on a sweet note as they officially secured the top four seed. It was also a bounce-back win after a five-set loss to Petro Gazz.

The Rald Ricafort-coached squad will be battling Chery Tiggo in the quarterfinal knockout round.

The PLDT maestro acknowledged during the postgame interview that Choco Mucho really wanted to win, and their performance “isn’t really their best.”

“Siguro hindi namin best [itong pinakita namin]. Pero ‘yun nga, ang daming factors eh. Baka ‘yung pacing, baka alam na sure na kami sa four or five [spot], pero hindi pwede ‘yung ganung laro. Bawi kami this next game sa Chery [Tiggo]. Credits din sa Choco [Mucho] kasi gusto rin talaga nilang manalo.”

The Flying Titans were able to save four match points in Set 4 from the 15-24 mark, but a regalo from Kiesha Bedonia ultimately ended the ballgame in favor of the white jerseys.

Russian import Elena Samoilenko remained amazing for the High Speed Hitters and registered 30 points anchored mostly on attacks, while Bedonia also dazzled with 16 markers.

Dindin Santiago-Manabat was the lone bright spot for the exiting Flying Titans, who tallied 22 points on 21 attacks and a block.

This was Choco Mucho’s worst conference output at ninth place.