PLDT, Creamline face tall odds

MANILA, Philippines — Here comes the tough part.

After finishing second in their respective pools, PLDT and Creamline now face daunting tasks in the quarterfinals of the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions Cup at the Philsports Arena.

It’s win-or-go-home as both squads square off against the top seeds of the opposite groups today.

The knockout stage kicks off at 4 p.m. with the High Speed Hitters, who placed second in Pool D, battling Pool A top seed Zhetysu VC of Kazakhstan, and the Cool Smashers, who placed second in Pool A, clashing with the undefeated Nakhon Ratchasima QminC from Thailand, the top team from Pool D, at 7 p.m.

Petro Gazz will take on Beijing Baic Motor tomorrow.

Despite a heartbreaking five-set loss to the Thais last Tuesday, PLDT proved its resilience, rallying from a 0-2 hole before falling short in the decider. That performance showcased the High Speed Hitters’ fight. But against the powerful Kazakhs, resilience alone could not be enough, and PLDT may need to execute a near-perfect game plan to crack the tall and disciplined Zhetysu defense, which had previously swept the Cool Smashers.

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort and his team have had a brief window to analyze their opponents during Wednesday’s break, drawing up tactics to slow down the Kazakh juggernaut.