PVL: Ho Chi Minh stuns PLDT for breakthrough Invitational win

Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City during a game vs PLDT High Speed Hitters in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City pulled off an upset over defending champion PLDT, 28-26, 19-25, 25-21, 25-16, to pick up its first PVL Invitational Conference win on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Dang Thi Kim Thanh and the 16-year-old spiker Ho Thi Bich Diep carried the Vietnamese club to end a two-game skid and force a three-way tie at 1-2 with Farm Fresh.

Dang, the team captain, unleashed 19 points off 17 kills and two aces on top of 13 digs, while Ho added 18 points built on 12 spikes, four blocks and two aces.

“We came in as the underdogs, and we knew we were going to face tough competition from the very beginning,” said Dang. “We wanted to relax and play our game instead of worrying about who we would play against or what we needed to do.

“We wanted to focus more on what we needed to improve within ourselves. I just wanted to motivate the team, encourage them to play their game and play as a team, and really execute everything that we had been practicing and training for throughout the season.”

Le Thi My Xuyen and Dao Thi Nhung had 14 points each, as setter Nguyen Thi Hoai Mi tossed 23 excellent sets.

Ho Chi Minh eyes a second win against Nxled on Friday at 4 p.m.

PLDT absorbed its second straight loss despite Kianna Dy’s 25 points.

Savi Davison had 16 points, 19 excellent receptions, and 14 digs, while Mika Reyes and Majoy Baron added seven points.

PLDT seeks to salvage its title hopes against Farm Fresh on Friday at 1:30 p.m.