For Savannah Davison, returning to the post-game press conference was about more than another Player of the Game citation.
It was a chance to breathe again, smile, and finally talk about a performance that felt like her own.
“You know what? I missed this,” the PLDT star said with a smile that reflected the relief of a player who had finally found her way back after a frustrating start to the season.
For someone accustomed to delivering big performances for the High Speed Hitters, the opening days of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference had been anything but familiar.
PLDT entered the tournament carrying the expectations of a title contender, having won two championships and collected two bronze medals across its previous five conferences. But the team struggled to find its rhythm, suffering consecutive straight-set defeats to Nxled and Akari to fall to 0-2.
Davison endured an equally difficult stretch.
The former league MVP managed just 10 points on eight successful attacks in 43 attempts against the Chameleons before being held to a career-low five points against the Chargers. For an outside hitter expected to shoulder much of PLDT's offensive burden, those outings offered a humbling reminder that even the most established players can have difficult days.
But rather than allow those performances to define her, Davison chose to treat them as an opportunity to reset.
“I gotta show up,” the 27-year-old Fil-Canadian said when asked about her mindset following PLDT's disappointing start.
For Davison, the answer began with returning to the fundamentals and trusting the work she had put in long before the opening serve of the conference.
“I think it's just going back to the basics and realizing how hard I've worked to get here, and everything that I've learned to this day doesn't just disappear. It's everything I've trained for. We train every day, and just because I had a bad day on a game day, you know, doesn't define me,” she said.
“It was humbling, but I feel like we all go through those experiences where we don't show up the best that we can, and it's just kind of how we respond from them. So I like to identify it, recognize it, and kind of move on because, you know, we need each other, right? So the best thing I can do is respond the best I can."
That response arrived against Capital1 on Saturday, when Davison reminded everyone why she remains one of the league's most dangerous offensive weapons.
With PLDT desperate to halt its skid, she erupted for 28 points built on 23 attacks, four blocks, and one ace. She also contributed 18 excellent receptions and 10 excellent digs as the High Speed Hitters battled back from an opening-set loss to secure a 21-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-21 victory at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
More than the numbers, however, the performance represented a much-needed breakthrough for both Davison and a PLDT squad searching for its identity.
The Oklahoma product acknowledged the demands that come with being one of the team's primary offensive options, particularly alongside teammates who shoulder significant responsibilities on the defensive end.
“I honestly... It's hard. I'm not gonna lie, but I feel like Kath also recognizes the position that I'm in. Like, we... She's a really big part of our defense, and I feel like I carry the offensive side. But we do have a lot of pressure on us internally and externally,” Davison said.
“And we like to say that pressure is a privilege. Pressure is a privilege, and pressure makes diamonds. But at the same time, you just gotta calm yourself down, and everyone has a bad day. But let's just kind of, you know, mark more good days and bad days, hopefully."
It was a reminder that the burden of carrying a contender does not disappear after a disappointing performance. What matters is learning how to manage it, especially when the team needs its leaders to respond.
Davison was quick to point out that PLDT's turnaround was not the product of one player's individual effort. The High Speed Hitters had spent the week confronting their shortcomings, challenging one another in practice, and preparing to make a statement against Capital1.
The result was a more composed and determined team that found its footing when it mattered most.
“I feel like we all kinda came into this game knowing that we had something to come back from,” she said.
“And it's more ourselves than anything. So I'm glad that we pushed each other during practice this week. And going into this game, we had the right mindset. So I'm just glad we came out and played to our best."
For PLDT, the victory provided a much-needed reprieve from a winless opening stretch and a foundation on which to rebuild its campaign.
For Davison, it was proof that a couple of difficult outings could not erase years of hard work, experience, and confidence.
