Kath Arado had more than just a semifinals spot to play for when she stepped onto the court on Saturday.
Still riding the high of her surprise engagement to longtime partner Allan Joseph Moral last Wednesday, Arado turned that extra motivation into an inspired performance, leading the High Speed Hitters to a 25-13, 25-23, 23-25, 25-18 victory over Galeries Tower in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena.
Arado anchored PLDT’s floor defense with 22 excellent digs and four excellent receptions, helping the High Speed Hitters secure a crucial victory that improved their record to 4-3 and kept them level with Choco Mucho in the standings.
“Excited talaga ako sa game na ito kasi iba yung motivation ko pagtapak pa lang ng court,” said the seven-time PVL Best Libero, admitting that the surprise gave her another reason to look forward to the Galeries match.
“Sa training pa lang, actually. Thankful ako sa kanila kasi nag-brainstorm talaga sila ng fiancé ko, as in talaga. Extra motivation siya for me,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
With the help of Arado’s PLDT teammates, Moral pulled off a surprise engagement in Tagaytay, complete with a jersey bearing the name “Arado-Morral” to mark the special occasion.
“Hindi ko nga alam paano nakalusot ’yan. Pag ganyan, ang bilis ko makaramdam. Hindi ko alam. Sobrang galing talaga ng teammates ko, and motivation talaga siya for me,” Arado said.
The two have been together since their college days, when Arado played for the University of the East and Moral studied at National University.
Their relationship has also extended beyond their personal lives, with Moral continuing to play an important role in Arado’s development as an athlete.
“Gaya nga ng sabi ni Kuya Migs (Gomez), nasaksihan niya since college yung relationship namin, and very grateful din ako kasi isa siya sa part kung bakit ako nag-i-improve every day,” the 28-year-old defensive specialist said.
“Actually, hindi siya yung partner na kino-comfort ako pag natatalo. Ini-instruct niya talaga ako. Talagang sinasabi niya kung ano yung pagkakamali ko, pagkukulang ko as a player. Tapos, way of comfort niya, kain kami sa labas. Walang words,” she added.
With her engagement providing another source of inspiration, Arado was eager to channel that energy onto the court, especially with PLDT needing every win in its push for a semifinals berth.
On Saturday, that motivation translated into the kind of defensive performance the High Speed Hitters needed to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
