Savannah Davison and PLDT are determined to redeem themselves as they aim to salvage a bronze finish in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
PLDT moved closer to securing a podium finish after outlasting Farm Fresh in a thrilling five-set battle, 22-25, 25-21, 27-25, 26-28, 15-11, in Game 1 of their third-place series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday.
The High Speed Hitters are looking to bounce back after falling short of the Finals and finishing fourth in the round-robin semifinals, despite entering the round as the No. 1 seed in the preliminaries.
“I think we’ve had a pretty tough journey leading up to the playoffs. So, we really came into this game wanting it. You know, really wanting to redeem ourselves,” said Davison, who powered the team with a 33-point explosion against the Foxies.
The 27-year-old outside hitter, known for her competitive edge, acknowledged the sting of their semifinal exit. Still, she stressed the importance of moving forward, with the third-place series now in focus and a strong finish as their goal.
(C) PVL Images
She added that their Game 1 victory was a product of learning how to respond to setbacks, recalling how they regrouped after back-to-back defeats to Creamline and Farm Fresh in the semifinals before salvaging a win over Cignal in a non-bearing match that helped them reset and refocus.
“I think when you’ve been in and around sport for so long, it’s kind of just the way it is. You don’t really try to make yourself forget. You just know it’s there, and you accept it. You just kind of move on,” said Davison.
“Like I said earlier, going into this game, we just really wanted to redeem ourselves. So, I’m just glad that we fought all the way through the end. This is what transpires when you’re able to move on from those tough games and kind of pull together.”
As they push to finish strong in the season-ending tournament, Davison emphasized the importance of trust within the squad, saying success will come from each player embracing their roles and relying on one another in crucial moments.
“And I think just the trust that I have in the court with the girls. For everyone to do their roles, for everyone to back each other up, and support each other,” she said.
“I think, you know, it’s doing it for everyone else at this point. And just kind of finishing it off the season the right way.”
