'Parang ninakawan': PLDT still reeling from controversial PVL semis loss

MANILA, Philippines – The PLDT High Speed Hitters admitted that they were still carrying the heavy burden of their controversial loss to the Akari Chargers in their tightly contested semifinals match in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, even as they played the Battle for Bronze match on Wednesday evening.

The High Speed Hitters, who were the talk of the town during the weekend following heated discussions of a non-call late into the fifth set of their semifinals match on Saturday, looked lethargic against eventual bronze medal winners Cignal despite winning the opening set of the contest.

After the match, PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort said that they were simply too hurt and emotional to play to the best of their abilities.

“For this game, unang mindset is to show up. Kasi from the Saturday na nangyari, wala na rin kaming training nung Sunday kasi sa usap usap palang, talagang mahirap siyang tanggapin mentally. Ganoon ka-drained… Parang [kaming] ninakawan, ganun yung pakiramdam,” said Ricafort.

The High Speed Hitters were a point away from the finals when assistant coach Manolo Refugia raised a challenge for net touch on an alleged fault of Akari middle blocker Ezra Madrigal. The mid-rally challenge paused play for more than 10 minutes as the officials mulled over the decision.

After long deliberation, the point was awarded to Akari citing FIVB rules which deemed Madrigal’s touch a non-violation. Akari eventually won the match, 17-15, in the fifth set.

Debates swirled online on the decision with public sentiment siding with the High Speed Hitters. But after falling so painstakingly short of the championship round, PLDT just couldn’t regain their bearings in time to finish on a high note.

“Blessed kami kahit papano na nagkaron ng delay, pero, yun nga, mental state, mental health, di na 100%. So yung pag show up today, yun yung unang goal. Nagawa naman,” said Ricafort. 

“Nacontrol [namin] yung sa first set. Pero wala, siguro nasagad na kumbaga. So, binanggit ko naman sakanila goal-wise, I think nakuha naman namin. Pero yun nga, mahirap nang ilaro yung ngayon."

PLDT skipper Kath Arado even went as far as saying that the High Speed Hitters had initially planned on not going to the game at all – with all their energy drained by what happened last Saturday. The team protested the call but to no avail.

“Actually yung mindset talaga namin is wag na pumunta,” Arado said.

“I mean, syempre, sino ba naman matutuwa or… Syempre, hindi lang samin, kundi parang sa lahat ng teams na nagprepare ng maayos, nagprepare ng kahit may iniinda, talagang nilalaban, at saka syempre knowing na talagang pinush kami ng coaches na kung ano yung dapat pa naming iimprove as a team. 'Di siya madali.”

The decorated libero said that even if they were trying to put their professional status first, it was tremendously difficult for the whole team to come out with their best foot forward with the severity of what they experienced over the weekend.

“Mahirap siyang tanggapin, actually, mahirap nga siya sabihin eh [na], ‘hindi, kailangan natin siya ilaban kasi maging professional tayo, trabaho natin to,’ pero pag nandon ka sa sitwasyon, ikaw yung nandon, ikaw yung nanakawan, ikaw yung nangyaring ganon, hindi mo talaga kakayanin emotionally,” said the former UE standout. 

“Pinipilit namin with the help na sa management and sa coaches, mahirap siya tanggapin, mahirap pumunta.”

What eventually changed PLDT’s minds was the image of the team working hard to get to where they are. Despite everything that happened, Arado said that they didn’t want to throw everything out of the window.

But when they stepped onto the court, it was still a difficult task.

“Sabi ko nga sa van eh, napag-usapan namin, hindi parang kaya naman namin, kaya naming ilaban. Pero pagtapak namin dito sa arena, naramdaman namin yung emotion na kaya ba namin? Kinekwestyon namin yung sarili namin na kaya ba namin? Kaya pa ba namin?” she said. 

“So, siguro yung naging motivation na lang din talaga is yung sacrifices ng bawat isa na kahit may iniinda, nilalaban so yun na lang yung pinangkakapitan namin kahit mahirap. Kailangan parin namin ilaban para sa isa’t isa.”

The High Speed Hitters are headed for a lengthy rest as they decided to forego the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference, where they were initially slated to join the other semifinalists.

Farm Fresh will be taking PLDT's place in the week-long tournament.