The PLDT High Speed Hitters are filing a protest over their controversial 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15 defeat to the Akari Power Chargers in the PVL Reinforced Conference semifinals on Saturday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
High Speed Hitters head coach Rald Ricafort stated that the team is lodging a complaint regarding their unsuccessful coaches’ challenge while they were ahead 14-13 in the fifth set.
“Yes, we will have a protest. We will file a protest,” Ricafort told the media hours after their loss. “We will just wait what will happen with our protest.”
PLDT were at match point at 14-13 when assistant coach Manolo Refugia issued a net touch challenge against Power Chargers’ Ezra Madrigal, whose left arm scraped the net as she landed from a block attempt.
After a long lull where no video challenge replay was shown on live TV and inside the arena, the technical committee deemed it an unsuccessful challenge, awarding a point to Akari to tie the score at 14-all.
The Power Chargers then reached match point at 15-14 on an off-the-block hit by Grethcel Soltones before they completed the come-from-behind win following an attack error by High Speed Hitters’ Elena Samoilenko.
PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo, in a post-game presser, clarified on the league’s behalf that the on-court decision was in compliance with FIVB regulations on net touch infractions.
Based on Section 11.3.1 of the FIVB rules, Madrigal’s net touch happened during the ‘second motion away from play,’ making such an infraction inviolable.
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