CIGNAL wasted no time asserting itself against a retooled Galeries Tower side after taking a commanding 25-17, 25-14, 25-11 victory to open the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the Playtime Filoil Centre.
Choosing stability over splashy offseason moves, the Super Spikers trusted their well-oiled core and were rewarded with a smooth win over a new-look Highrisers side who came in with some lofty signings bannered by highly-respected veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas.
Alas Pilipinas stalwarts Vanie Gandler and Dawn Catindig set the tone for a dominant showing as Cignal stayed in control from start to finish, never allowing Galeries Tower to mount any real resistance.
The Super Spikers put the result beyond doubt with a decisive 21-7 burst in the third set, closing the door early as the Highrisers continue to search for cohesion with their revamped lineup.
“Just so happy na nakapag-perform ‘yung team nang maayos kahit naging medyo shaky ‘yung past few days kaya sobrang sarap lang na naipanalo namin ‘to,” said Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos.
The national team duo had a field day, as Gandler finished with 14 points to go with three digs and three receptions, while Catindig shored up the floor with 10 digs of her own.
But the night’s heroine was Tin Tiamzon, who continued her remarkable comeback just eight months after coming out of retirement.
The 28-year-old winger unleashed a blistering service game, firing six aces to headline an 18-point performance that helped keep Galeries Tower at bay.
Reigning PVL on Tour MVP Erika Santos also wasted no time finding her groove, chipping in 13 points as Cignal’s balanced attack proved too much for the retooled Highrisers.
No big leaps yet for Highrisers
Now under Aying Esteban’s watch, Galeries Tower’s overhauled roster is still very much a work in progress.
While there were brief flashes of promise, the Highrisers never quite found their footing and struggled to keep pace with Cignal from the opening serve.
It was former Chery Tiggo rookie Erika Deloria who carried the bulk of the scoring load, emerging as the lone double-digit contributor with 10 points to go along with six receptions.
All eyes were also on Aiza Maizo-Pontillas in her first game donning Highrisers blue, but the veteran finished with just five points and seven digs in a muted debut.
Fellow newcomer Erika Raagas added three markers as Galeries Tower continues to search for cohesion with its new-look lineup.
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