IT took a trip down south for Galeries Tower to rise back up and end a 14-game losing streak.
Eight months without a win, the Highrisers are now on the board in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference by trumping Capital1 in a 26-24, 25-14, 25-23 sweep on Saturday at the Minglanilla Sports Complex in Cebu.
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No. 3 overall pick Julia Coronel had her best game yet in the pros with five service aces, four of which in succession to begin Set 2, to top her nine-point night alongside 10 excellent sets.
From one rookie to another, Jewel Encarnacion put in a solid shift with 10 attack points to go with back-to-back 10-point showings from mainstay spikers Ysa Jimenez and Andrea Marzan.
Coronel’s fellow La Salle hotshot and first-rounder Leila Cruz’ game-best 14 markers and five digs went for naught as the Solar Spikers yield their fourth loss in five games.
Tough test aced
Galeries Tower’s newest playmaker absorbed defeat in her first four PVL games behind 10 more successive losses for the team since April way before she even got here.
Results aside, she’s already proven her reliability as a setter and even as an occasional opposite spiker.
But what emerged as her winning weapon in their breakthrough victory? Her efficiency as a server.
“May instructions din kasi na binibigay ‘yung coaches on where to target [my serves]. To the best of my ability, pinapasok ko lang din at tina-tiyaga din talaga,” said Coronel.
Her individual growth and the Highrisers’ steady ascent are all rooted on one key foundation: hard work.
“Tiyaga lang talaga. Tyinaga namin bawat puntos. We worked hard for every point and most importantly, we worked as a team. Winork-on namin ‘yung connection namin and we glad na na-translate namin ‘yun sa laro na ‘to."
Highrisers head coach Lerma Giron added: "Gumana ‘yung game plan namin. Talagang naging team players sila. Naging masunurin sila ngayon. They just enjoyed the game and they just enjoyed Cebu."
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