PLDT narrowly missed securing a spot in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference semifinals, despite concluding the season with a victory.
The High-Speed Hitters finished fifth, just outside the Top Four, with a 7-4 record after a hard-fought five-set win against Petro Gazz on Tuesday evening.
The standout of this conference was newcomer Savannah Davison, who made a significant impact on the PVL. The Filipino-Canadian spiker joined PLDT before the conference began and swiftly emerged as one of the team’s key players.
In a postgame interview, Davison expressed her excitement about returning for the PVL’s first conference next year, stating, “I’ll be back for a little; I’m not going to tell you how long, but I’m going to stay with PLDT for the next conference. So hopefully, it’s all growth from here on out.”
Davison, who is related to PLDT/Smart VP First Vice President – Head of Sports Jude Turcuato, had an outstanding final game, contributing 29 points, 15 receptions, and 10 digs.
During her debut in the Philippines, Davison claimed the title of the league’s top scorer at the end of the elimination round, amassing 202 points through 173 attacks, 22 blocks, and seven service aces.
She also secured the third-best blocking performance with 0.55 per set, ranked seventh in spiking with a 32.28 percent success rate, and held the seventh-best receiving efficiency at 34.32 percent.
With Davison enhancing the already formidable High-Speed Hitters club, both she and the team are determined to vie for the championship in the upcoming season.
“We’re definitely looking for a championship, so I think that’s the main goal,” said the University of Oklahoma alumna.
While winning the championship remains a long-term objective, Davison’s focus for the next season is on continual improvement.
“It always should be, but just like I said, just progress, growth. I just want to go day by day, kind of get one percent better. I think it was just the entirety of it,” she emphasized.