Rald Ricafort emphasized that while PLDT can’t win every game, they can control how they respond after a loss.
The High Speed Hitters certainly proved they can bounce back, delivering a strong performance following their shocking straight-set defeat to Cignal last Tuesday.
PLDT fired on all cylinders, edging past ZUS Coffee in the first two sets before dominating the third to secure a 25-23, 25-23, 25-13 victory in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the Filoil Centre.
“Yung ano lang eh… ‘Yung marami pa kaming kailangang matutunan, and ‘yung mindset nga na hindi lagi panalo kapag masama ‘yung gising. Pero credit talaga sa Cignal, dahil pinag-prepare-an nila kami,” Ricafort said.
“Pero ‘yun nga, mas mahalaga kung paano kami mag-respond.”
(C) PVL Images
Now sitting at 4-1, Ricafort isn’t focusing on the standings. He knows that in such a competitive field, any team can challenge and beat them on any given day.
“Yun ‘yung una — hindi namin iisipin ‘yung standings. Kasi kita naman na sa ibang teams, may lesson na hindi automatic na sure win kahit nasa baba ‘yung kalaban,” said the three-time PVL champion coach.
“Lahat naman ng teams, nag-improve at may chance na ipanalo. So laging ganon, kailangan mabilis mag-move on at saka mabilis mag-focus sa mga kalaban.”
What matters most now, Ricafort said, is building resilience and learning to bounce back from adversity to keep the team sharp and ready for the playoffs.
“Yun naman talaga ‘yung nilu-look forward na hindi lang kami ‘yung nag-iiscout. Lahat naman na, lalo na ngayon mataas na ‘yung level,” he said.
“So minsan talaga nasa game na lang ‘yung mental resilience — kung paano kami magre-recover, kung paano kami sa on-court decisions, doon na lang fino-focus ng team. Kahit sa training na laging nag-iisip, saka laging naka-focus.”
