Thunderbelles, High Speed Hitters topple foes, complete semis cast

November 25 ------ ZUS Coffee and PLDT dismantled their respective rivals to complete the semifinal cast in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The second-seeded Thunderbelles swept the Capital1 Solar Spikers, 25-14, 25-20, 25-18, while No. 3 PLDT toppled sister team Cignal, 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21. With their wins, ZUS Coffee and PLDT joined early semifinalists Akari and Petro Gazz. The Thunderbelles and the High Speed Hitters also arranged a knockout semis showdown slated on Thursday, Nov. 27, at the same venue.

ZUS Coffee drew strength from Anna DeBeer, the lone double-digit scorer for the squad with 24 points. Chinnie Arroyo came off the bench and contributed eight points while Riza Nogales added seven points. The Thunderbelles overpowered the Solar Spikers in the offensive department, firing 51 attacks compared to their rival’s 35 hits. They also limited Capital1’s top rookie Bella Belen to nine points. Meanwhile, PLDT bucked a third-set hiccup with Savi Davison and Anastasiia Bavykina delivering 21 and 15 points, respectively, including combined 30 kills, and Majoy Baron waxing hot with 11 points highlighted by five blocks.

Kianna Dy also joined forces with Baron in the defensive department, posting three blocks for nine points.

PLDT’s solid defense weakened Cignal’s offense anchored on Katrin Trebichavska, who scored 18 points in a losing cause.

Source: mb.com.ph