PLDT Home Fibr Hitters (men's team) explained

Clubname:	PLDT Home Fibr Hitters
Short Name:	PLDT
Nickname:	Power Hitters
Fullname:	PLDT Home Fibr Hitters
Founded:	2013
League:	Philippine Super Liga Spikers' Turf Premier Volleyball League
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Titles:	Spikers' Turf: 1, MVP Olympics: 1, PSL: 2

The PLDT Home Fibr Hitters, or the PLDT Volleyball Club is a former professional men's volleyball team owned by PLDT. It was established in 2013 and originally consisted of men's and women's teams. In 2018, the women's team became merged with the Smart Giga Hitters (later renamed PLDT Home Fibr Hitters women's team).^[1] The men's team has been playing in the Spikers' Turf since October 2018.^[2]

History

The club debuted in 2013 with the women's team debuting first as the PLDT myDSL Speed Boosters women's team in the Philippine Superliga (PSL) during the 2013 Invitational Conference. The men's team would follow debuting in the following conference.

In 2014, while participating in the PSL, the club joined in the Shakey's V-League with its women's team as the PLDT Home Telpad Turbo Boosters during the 2014 Open Conference.^[3]

The club ended its participation in the PSL after the 2014 season. In 2015, the club competed under the name PLDT Home Ultera Ultra Fast Hitters and the men's team joined the 2015 Open Conference of the Spikers' Turf,^[4] becoming its first champion.^[5]

The club became dormant in 2016 and 2017. It returned to active competition in 2018 in the Premier Volleyball League (formerly, Shakey's V-League and Spikers’ Turf) as the PayMaya High Flyers (women's) and the PLDT Home Fibr Ultra Fast Hitters (men's).^[6]

In September 2018, the women's team was merged with the Smart Prepaid Giga Hitters, its affiliate team in the PSL.^[7] The Smart team was renamed the PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters in February 2019.^[8]

Name changes

Season	Name
2013	PLDT myDSL Speed Boosters (PSL)
2014	PLDT Home TVolution-Air Force Power Attackers (PSL) PLDT Home Telpad-Air Force Turbo Boosters (PSL)
2015	PLDT Home Ultera Ultra Fast Hitters (Spikers' Turf)
2016–17	align="center"
2018	PLDT Home Fibr Ultra Fast Hitters (PVL)
2019	PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters (PVL/Spikers' Turf)

Final roster

PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters
width:25px	Number	width:300px	Player	width:110px	Position	width:110px	Height
2	Richard Solis	Outside hitter
2	Harby Ilano	Setter	-->
3	Patrick Vecina	Outside hitter
4	Ronjay Galang	Outside hitter
6	Ronchelle Lee Villegas	Setter
7	Jayvee Sumagaysay	Middle blocker
8	Mark Gil Alfafara	Opposite hitter
9	Paolo Pablico	Outside hitter
10	John Vic de Guzman (c)	Outside hitter
11	Joshua Umandal	Opposite hitter
12	Kris Cian Silang	Setter
15	Peter Quiel	Middle blocker
16	Kheeno Franco	Middle blocker
18	Gilbert Longevela	Libero
20	Henry James Pecaña	Libero

Coaching staff

• Head coach:
  Arthur Alan "Odjie" Mámon
• Assistant coach:
  Rolando Casillan

Previous line-up

See main article: 2018 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.

PLDT Home Fibr Ultra Power Hitters
width:25px	Number	width:300px	Player	width:110px	Position	width:110px	Height
1	Mark Jethro Orian	Middle blocker
3	Patrick Vecina	Outside hitter
4	Henry James Pecaña (c)	Opposite hitter
6	Ronchelle Lee Villegas	Setter
7	Jayvee Sumagaysay	Middle blocker
8	Mark Gil Alfafara	Opposite hitter
9	Tyrone Jan Carodan	Middle blocker
10	John Vic de Guzman	Outside hitter
11	Joshua Umandal	Opposite hitter
12	Rence Melgar	Libero
13	Joeven Dela Vega	Outside hitter
15	Ronjay Galang	Outside hitter
16	Kheeno Franco	Middle blocker
17	Gilbert Longevela	Libero

Coaching staff

• Head coach:
  Arthur Alan "Odjie" Mámon
• Assistant coach:
  Rolando Casillan

See main article: 2018 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.

PLDT Home Fibr Ultra Power Hitters
width:25px	Number	width:300px	Player	width:110px	Position	width:110px	Height
1	Mark Jethro Orian	Middle blocker
2	Harby Ilano	Setter
3	Patrick Vecina
4	Henry James Pecaña	Opposite hitter
6	Ronchelle Lee Villegas	Setter
7	Jayvee Sumagaysay	Middle blocker
8	Mark Gil Alfafara	Opposite hitter
9	Tyrone Jan Carodan	Outside hitter
10	John Vic de Guzman (c)	Opposite hitter
11	Joshua Umandal	Opposite hitter
12	Rence Melgar	Libero
13	Joeven Dela Vega	Middle blocker
15	Ronjay Galang	Outside hitter
16	Kheeno Franco	Middle blocker
17	Gilbert Longevela	Libero

Coaching staff

• Head coach:
  Arthur Allan "Odjie" Mámon
• Assistant coach:
  Jan Paul Doloiras

Honors

Team

Spikers' Turf/Premier Volleyball League:

width=70px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Season	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Conference	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Title	width=50px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Source
2015	Open	Champion	^[9]
	Reinforced	3rd place
2016	Open	(did not compete)
	Reinforced
2017	Reinforced
	Open
2018	Reinforced	4th place
	Open	Runner-up	^[10]
2019	Reinforced	3rd place	^[11]
	Open	6th place

Philippine SuperLiga:

width=70px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Season	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Conference	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Title	width=50px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Source
2013	Grand Prix	Champion	^[12] ^[13]
2014	All-Filipino	Champion	^[14]
	Grand Prix	Runner-up	^[15]

Others:

width=70px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Season	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Tournament	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Title	width=50px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Source
2016	MVP Olympics	Champion	^[16]

Individual

Spikers' Turf/Premier Volleyball League:

width=70px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Season	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Conference	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Award	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Name	width=50px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Source
2015	Open	2nd Best Outside Spiker	John Paul Torres	^[17]
		Best Opposite Spiker	Mark Gil Alfafara
		Finals MVP
	Reinforced	1st Best Middle Blocker	Peter Den Mar Torres
		1st Best Outside Spiker	Mark Gil Alfafara
		Conference MVP
2018	Reinforced	Best Opposite Spiker	John Vic De Guzman	^[18]
		Best Setter	Ronchette Lee Villegas
		Best Libero	Rence Melgar
	Open	Best Setter	Ronchette Lee Villegas	^[19]
		2nd Best Middle Blocker	Jayvee Sumagaysay
2019	Reinforced	Best Opposite Spiker	John Vic De Guzman

Philippine Superliga:

width=70px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Season	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Conference	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Award	width=200px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Name	width=50px style="background: #FF7518; color: white; text-align: center"	Source
2013	Grand Prix	Best Libero	Gilbert Longavilla
		Best Opposite	Henry Pecaña
		Best Setter	Rolando Casillan
		MVP	Kheeno Franco	^[20]
2014	All-Filipino	Best Libero	Raffy Mosuela	^[21]
		Best Setter	Jessie Lopez
		1st Best Outside Spiker	Alnakran Abdilla
		MVP
	Grand Prix	1st Best Outside Spiker	Alnakran Abdilla	^[22]

Notes:

Team captains

• Richard Gomez (2013)
• Dante Alinsunirin (2014)
• Ronaldo Casillan (2015)
• John Vic de Guzman (2018 Reinforced)
• Henry James Pecaña (2018 Open)

Head coach

• Arthur Allan “Odgie” Mamon

See also

• PLDT Home Fibr Hitters (women's team)
• PLDT Home TVolution (2014 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship team)
• Cignal HD Spikers (women's team)
• Cignal HD Spikers (men's team)

Notes and References

1. Web site: PLDT rejoins Super Liga as eight teams battle for title in All-Filipino Conference. SPIN.PH. 2 October 2018. 2 October 2018.
2. Web site: PVL: Spikers' Turf returns, fires off on October 6. Fox Sports Philippines. Lopez. Mark Edward. October 1, 2018. October 2, 2018.
3. News: Lozada. Mei-Lin. Short-handed PLDT overpowers hapless UP Lady Maroons to join early leaders . 8 July 2014. website. Spin.ph. July 3, 2014.
4. Web site: 8 teams take part in first Spikers' Turf men's volley tiff .
5. Web site: PLDT Home defeats Cagayan Valley to rule inaugural Spikers' Turf .
6. Web site: PLDT returns to PVL. Joey. Villar. The Philippine Star. 3 January 2018. 16 May 2018.
7. Web site: PLDT rejoins Super Liga as eight teams battle for title in All-Filipino Conference. SPIN.PH. October 2, 2018. May 6, 2019.
8. Web site: PSL Grand Prix Preview: The retooled PLDT Home FIBR. Noel. Zarate. ESPN 5. February 12, 2019. May 6, 2019.
9. News: Lozada. Mei-Lin. June 2, 2015. PLDT Home defeats Cagayan Valley to rule inaugural Spikers' Turf. SPIN. October 27, 2018.
10. News: December 15, 2018. Agilas wins Spikers' Turf crown. Manila Bulletin. December 17, 2018.
11. News: Lozada . Bong . July 21, 2019. Cignal sweeps Air Force for Spikers' Turf crown; Marck Espejo is Finals MVP. Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 6, 2019.
12. Web site: Bracher. Jane. PLDT downs Systema to bag first PSL men's title. www.rappler.com. 14 December 2013 . Rappler. 1 June 2014.
13. Web site: Zarate. Noel. PSL Grand Prix Championship Day: PLDT MyDSL outlasts Systema to cop men's title, TMS-Army captures second women's crown over Cignal. ph.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/sportztackle. Yahoo Sports. 1 June 2014.
14. News: Abcede. JP. PLDT-Air Force Accomplishes Sweep of PSL AFC men's division. 11 December 2014. website. Philippine Super Liga. philippinesuperliga.com. 26 July 2014.
15. News: Abcede. JP. Cignal Pulls Rug on PLDT-Air Force, Claims Men's Division Championship. 11 December 2014. website. Philippine Super Liga. philippinesuperliga.com. 30 November 2014.
16. News: PLDT rules MVP Olympics. The Philippine Star. Beltran. Nelson. March 6, 2016. March 6, 2016.
17. Web site: Lozada . Mei–Lin . Marck Espejo wins MVP and first best spiker awards in Spikers Turf. . March 17, 2024 . June 2, 2015 . March 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240317011337/https://www.spin.ph/volleyball/marck-espejo-ej-ramos-peter-torres-mark-gil-alfafara-player-awards-mvp-best-spiker-best-setter-best-blocker-spikers-turf-volleyball . live.
18. News: Escarlote . Mark . July 11, 2018. PVL: Pablo, Espejo cop MVP honors. ABS-CBN Sports. July 11, 2018.
19. News: December 16, 2018. Agilas snare S Turf crown, edge Power Hitters in 5. The Manila Times. December 23, 2018.
20. Web site: Bracher. Jane. PLDT downs Systema to bag first PSL men's title. www.rappler.com. 14 December 2013 . Rappler. 3 June 2014.
21. Web site: All Filipino Conference Final Results. Philippine Super Liga. 11 December 2014.
22. Web site: Men's Individual Awardees. Philippine Super Liga. 11 December 2014.