Erika Santos torches old team as import-less Cignal snaps PLDT's 15-game streak

Erika Santos punished her previous ball club PLDT, powering an import-less Cignal to a massive 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 upset win in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The high-leaping opposite hitter scored four of the last six points for the HD Spikers to finish with a team-high 17 points as they snapped an impressive 15-game streak of the High Speed Hitters despite fielding an undermanned lineup.

PLDT swept both the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conferences before winning their first two games in the ongoing import-laced tournament, but now see that streak come to an end against an incomplete Cignal that parted ways with import Eva Chantava. 

PLDT, though, tried to stave off a sweep loss by turning to import Anastasiia Bavykina, whose back-to-back hits from the left side gave the three-peat-seeking PLDT a 20-19 lead. 

But Santos turned up the heat late, unleashing four straight opposite kills that sent Cignal to a 23-20 cushion before Tin Tiamzon completed a combination play that clinched the match point at 24-21. 

A timely substitution of Heather Guino-o proved to be the finisher as she sealed the victory with a service ace as Cignal stunned its sister team PLDT. 

Ishie Lalongisip provided the help with 15 points, eight digs, and 11 receptions while Tiamzon and Roselyn Doria-Aquino tallied nine markers.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News