Galeries Tower celebrates a point against Capital1 in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, December 7, 2024 at the Minglanilla Sports Complex in Cebu. PVL Media
MANILA -- The Galeries Tower Highrisers showed their poise in snaring a three-set triumph against Capital1 on Saturday evening at the Minglanilla Sports Complex in Cebu.
The Highrisers were the more composed team down the stretch, allowing them to grab a 26-24, 25-14, 25-23 triumph in front of a boisterous crowd in the PVL's out-of-town game.
After dropping their first four assignments, Galeries Tower finally scored a win in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference. They also snapped a 14-match losing streak that goes back eight months, all the way to the previous season's All-Filipino tilt.
"We've been working really hard and we've seen how our team is already there. Kailangan lang talaga namin ng panapos, and finally, this is such a special moment kasi this is our very first win of the conference," said rookie Julia Coronel, the Player of the Match.
"We're really hoping for many, many more," she added.
Jewel Encarnacion (11), Ysa Jimenez (10) and Andrea Marzan (10) all scored in double-digits, while Coronel finished with nine points -- five off aces -- on top of her 10 excellent sets.
The Highrisers benefited from Capital1's errors down the stretch of the opener, with the Solar Spikers committing a four touches violation that put Galeries Tower at set point, 25-24. An attack by Encarnacion was initially called out, but a challenge showed that her hit was checked off the Solar Spikers, giving the Highrisers the opening frame.
Coronel put her stamp on the game in the second set, scoring five of their first six points at the service line to immediately put the Highrisers in control. Despite a late uprising by Capital1, the deficit was too much for them to overcome.
A more inspired Capital1 squad came out for Set 3, as they did not allow Galeries to pull away. The Highrisers still managed to stay in control, and a quick kill by Marzan off an overpass by the Solar Spikers put them ahead 23-19.
But she committed an error in her next attack, and a hit by Capital1 veteran Heather Guino-o made it a two-point game, 23-21. A crosscourt kill by Ysa Jimenez gave Galeries their first match point, though the Solar Spikers stayed alive thanks to a Leila Cruz kill and an ace from Guino-o.
The Highrisers would not be denied, however. France Ronquillo's attack was shown to have grazed the line upon review, and Galeries wrapped up the win in two hours and 27 minutes.
"Naging masunurin sila ngayon, at saka they just enjoyed the game, and they enjoyed Cebu," the Highrisers coach, Lerma Giron, said after their triumph.
The rookie Cruz led all scorers with 14 points on 10 kills, two aces, and two blocks, while Singh added 10 points. However, their efforts weren't enough as Capital1 fell to 1-4 in the tournament.