VANIE Gandler is chasing something deeper than just a maiden PVL title.
For Cignal’s star, it has never been about simply getting there. It has always been about becoming the kind of team that deserves to be there.
That belief was on full display as Gandler powered the Super Spikers with a triple-double of 24 points, 10 digs, and 10 receptions in the semifinals, fittingly against a Creamline side that denied them their last title shot in the 2024 Invitationals.
READ: Cignal books PVL All-Filipino finals spot by beating Creamline
Now on their third crack at a PVL crown, Cignal is not changing course.
If anything, it is doubling down on the same selfless brand of volleyball that brought them here.
“It’s hard for us to answer kasi parang we can’t explain how deep this is for us kasi we know how hard we worked for this. I just have so much gratefulness for the team kasi the player I am today is because of them,” Gandler said.
“The way the team is performing is because we just want the best for each other. It’s really not for ourselves. It’s for each other. And so it’s just, I can’t explain how meaningful it is for me to reach the finals again. I’m thankful to be part of this team.”
That sense of togetherness has defined Cignal’s rise, not individual numbers, not individual accolades, but a shared commitment to something bigger.
And for Gandler, the destination is secondary.
“It means everything to me, but our focus isn’t that we go to the championship. Our focus is that we train like champions every day, so that’s what we do.”
It is one built on discipline, consistency and belief, and one that has shaped her not just as a player, but more importantly as a person.
“We ask God for a championship. He’s gonna give us challenges. But we need to play like we’re champions. It means the world because I see that the qualities of a champion in each one of them. And like I said, it’s made me a better person and playing,” she said.
At 25, Gandler is no longer just chasing wins. She is chasing growth and identity, with a possible touch of gold in the end.
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