MANILA, Philippines – The Premier Volleyball League Invitational will culminate in a high-stakes final as the Philippines' PLDT team squares off against Japan’s Kobe Shinwa University. The clash, scheduled for Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, follows Kobe Shinwa’s thrilling 21-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-6 victory over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Friday evening.

This win marked Kobe Shinwa’s fourth triumph in five matches, propelling them to second place behind the unbeaten PLDT squad, which went 5-0 in the elimination round. As the tournament’s sole guest team, Kobe Shinwa earned a spot in the championship match, where they will challenge the reigning PVL on Tour champions, PLDT.

Kobe Shinwa’s star setter Sakura Furuta was pivotal in orchestrating the comeback, delivering 33 precise assists in the last three sets. Her skillful play enabled leading scorer Nagisa Komatsuda to amass 31 points, supported by powerful contributions from Kokoro Yasuma (16 points), Arisu Ishikawa (11 points), and Reira Miyazaki (10 points).

"In the first and second sets, I was not very good, I could not give the ball well to my spikers," Furuta admitted through a translator. "But in the third set, my game returned and I set well."

The Chery Tiggo Crossovers initially dominated the match, capturing the first two sets and appearing on course for an easy victory. However, Furuta’s resurgence ignited Kobe Shinwa’s spirited rally, which ultimately left Chery Tiggo struggling to respond.

As a result, the Crossovers dropped to a 3-2 record and now face the Creamline Cool Smashers in the third-place playoff, also scheduled for Sunday. The final showdown between PLDT and Kobe Shinwa promises to be a compelling contest as both teams vie for the championship crown.