PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort revealed that Mika Reyes and Mean Mendrez are set to return after the one-week break in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference. They missed their debut against Akari on Saturday. Reyes is in the final stage of her recovery after undergoing a shoulder procedure during the All-Filipino Conference. Meanwhile, Mendrez is currently nursing a minor knee injury. "Mean just had a recent knee issue, but it's not a big concern. Mika is still recovering from her shoulder, but she's doing well and able to keep up with the training," said Ricafort after the High Speed Hitters' 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 victory over the Chargers. "Yes, everyone will be able to play [after the break]. We're just rotating the minutes. Actually, with Mean, she's not yet a hundred percent. She's healthy, just not a hundred percent," he continued. With Mendrez and Reyes out, several High Speed Hitters stepped up and performed well against Akari. Dell Palomata and Jessey De Leon took charge in the middle, scoring 14 and eight points respectively. Outside hitters Jovie Prado, Michelle Morente, and newcomer Royse Tubino contributed 13, 11, and eight points respectively. "We're very proud of Dell Palomata because her game has really matured since we started in January until now," said Ricafort. "Her performance in the SEA Games also helped, so we're happy with her progress. That's what we expected from her, and we're just continuing to develop her to improve even more." Ricafort mentioned that they will use their one-week break to prepare for their upcoming matches. "Our mindset for this game was to give it our all since we only had one game before the break. So whatever happens today, we'll focus on preparing for the next games, especially considering our schedule is every other day," he said. "It's challenging, so we need everyone's effort, and we'll rotate players as much as we can, so that if we're fortunate enough to advance to the semifinals, everyone will be healthy."
