Mika Reyes powered PLDT to its first-ever Premier Volleyball League championship and capped the breakthrough run by being named Finals Most Valuable Player.
Yet the veteran middle blocker stressed that the title itself mattered more than the individual honor.
Reyes admitted she didn’t even hear her name announced, as shown by her surprised reaction when teammates told her she had won. But for the 31-year-old middle blocker, it hardly mattered — what truly mattered was giving the High Speed Hitters their first championship in the professional league.
“‘Di ko rin talaga in-expect,” said Reyes. “‘Di ko rin narinig actually, pero hindi ko rin talaga in-expect.
“Ever since naman, I think mas importante talaga sa’kin ‘yung para sa team. Mas gusto kong makuha ‘yung championship than any other individual award.”
The former PVL Best Middle Blocker delivered the game of her life on Sunday night, putting on a career-best performance to help PLDT withstand a furious comeback from Chery Tiggo and close the deal in five sets, 25-17, 25-17, 19-25, 24-26, 15-8, in the 2025 PVL On Tour title match at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Reyes scored 20 points on 13 attacks and added an impressive seven kill blocks in the winner-take-all finale.
More importantly, she stepped up when the team needed her most, firing four points in the decider to help clinch the title.
(C) PVL Images
“I think ‘yung lagi lang sinasabi ng coaches, ng player na maging present talaga the whole game kasi hindi naman ‘to basta-basta ibibigay ng opponent. And kahit na two sets ahead kami, ‘di namin inisip na makukuha namin ‘to agad,” the De La Salle University product.
“So sobrang thankful kami na kinapitan talaga namin ‘yung bawat isa.”
For Reyes, the victory carried added weight, having fallen short of the podium in her nine prior conferences with PLDT.
Since joining the High Speed Hitters in 2021, the team had hovered between fourth and fifth place finishes — until this PVL On Tour championship finally gave them the breakthrough they had been chasing.
Reyes shared that the team’s past heartbreaks became their biggest source of motivation, and she was overjoyed to finally see PLDT — after enduring countless setbacks over the past year — overcome the hurdles and capture the championship they had long deserved.
“Sobrang frustrating talaga siya at the same time, ‘yung sinabi rin ni coach kanina na sa lahat ng mga heartbreaks na na-experience namin, hindi pa rin kami tumigil. I think ‘yun ‘yung nagpapasarap talaga sa championship na ‘to,” she said.
“Kasi kahit anong mangyari the past few years, mas naging motivation pa sa amin ‘yun.”
