Japan's Kobe Shinwa University will ride on the grit of its youthful core as it faces the PLDT High Speed Hitters in a winner-take-all battle for the 2025 PVL Invitational crown.
Kobe Shinwa University will look to complete its dream run when it clashes with the powerhouse PLDT High Speed Hitters in the 2025 PVL Invitational Finals on Sunday, August 31, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Japanese collegiate squad has been the surprise package of the tournament, showcasing speed, discipline, and resilience that have made them crowd favorites.
[ALSO READ: Dynasty or legacy? Unbeaten PLDT, youthful Kobe Shinwa clash for PVL Invitational crown]
Their stunning five-set comeback win over Chery Tiggo to end the preliminaries highlighted their fighting spirit, with setter Sakura Furuta’s brilliant playmaking unlocking a balanced attack led by Nagisa Komatsuda’s 31 points.
Kobe Shinwa also received solid contributions from Kokoro Yasuma, Arisu Ishikawa, Reira Miyazaki, and Yuia Yamano.
Though falling short against PLDT in their first meeting, Kobe Shinwa has grown tougher with every game and now has nothing to lose in this title game, trying to become just the second foreign squad to win a PVL crown.
The winner-take-all Final is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
[ALSO READ: Kobe Shinwa readies game plan to solve unbeaten PLDT in PVL Invitational Finals]
(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]