CANDON CITY — While most clubs chase marquee names and proven stars, Cignal took a different route in building its roster in the Philippine volleyball scene from scratch until its final bow last month.
READ: Gratitude all that is left as Super Spikers move on from Cignal
The Super Spikers built their identity on calculated gambles, banking on unfulfilled potential over pedigree and trusting players who may have flown under the radar in their collegiate years but had the tools to thrive in the pros.
There are a handful of clear examples of the team's philosophy in terms of players it acquired who had relatively quiet UAAP careers to becoming PVL All-Stars, a testament to the system that believed in them early.
ERIKA SANTOS
There are not many resurgence stories in modern-day sports as compelling as that of Erika Santos.
At 26, the now-prized opposite hitter has carved out an underdog story that reads like a movie script, one built on patience, perseverance and a breakthrough that few saw coming.
Santos came from a loaded La Salle side from Seasons 81 to 84, sharing the court with established names like Des Cheng, Jolina dela Cruz, Leila Cruz May Luna and even eventual Cignal teammate Tin Tiamzon.
But while the talent pool around her was undeniable, opportunities were scarce.
She cracked the main roster in Season 81 but was left out in Seasons 82 and 84. Season 83, meanwhile, was wiped out entirely due to the pandemic, further limiting her chances to make an impact at the collegiate level.
With little game time to show, Santos entered the pros with more questions than certainty, first suiting up for PLDT before eventually finding her way to Cignal her initial contract expired.
Tasked with a role she never quite had in college, Santos transformed into Cignal's primary scoring option, embracing the responsibility of being the go-to hitter in a leap was nothing short of remarkable.
Her breakout culminated in a maiden MVP award in the 2025 PVL on Tour and a first-ever Finals appearance in the All-Filipino Conference, milestones that marked both a personal and professional breakthrough.
For Santos, Cignal became the platform that finally unlocked her full potential, the place where she was given the freedom to grow into the player she always believed she could be.
"Thankful ako kasi naipakita ko ‘yung true self ko sa kanila. Hindi ako nahirapang mag-adjust and ‘yung transition from my past team tapos sila agad ‘yung nakasama ko," Santos said.
"Sobrang okay sa feeling na mag-work ka and at the same time, may family ka and sisters. Sobrang thankful ako sa Cignal.
"Hindi pa talaga nagsi-sink in. Nasa stage pa ako na nagpa-process so siguro, kailangan ko munang mag-reflect sa mga napagdaan at hahanap ng bagong team, siyempre du’n ako sa magtititwala sa’kin."
VANIE GANDLER
Vanie Gandler was always a familiar name during her days with Ateneo, but not always for the best reasons.
Now 25, the outside hitter’s collegiate career was as much defined by scrutiny as it was by promise.
Even as part of Ateneo’s Season 81 champion team, Gandler often found herself under the microscope. There were moments of visible frustration from the sidelines, and tough exchanges and on-court corrections from then-head coach Oliver Almadro.
For a player once touted as a high school ace from De La Salle-Zobel and mentioned in the same breath as Angel Canino, the expected breakout never quite came in blue and white.
Gandler made one final push with Ateneo in Season 84, settling for bronze before deciding it was time to turn pro and find a better fit for her game.
That opportunity came with Cignal in a three-year climb that wasn't an overnight transformation but a gradual climb and a process of rediscovery that took time before yielding results.
But in fitting fashion, her peak arrived at the very end.
After collecting three bronze medals and two silvers prior, Gandler delivered the best stretch of her career, capturing her first MVP award in the recently-concluded All-Filipino Conference in what turned out to be Cignal’s farewell campaign in the PVL.
It was a full-circle moment for a player once searching for her place. And in Cignal, Gandler found more than just a team but also the version of herself that had long been expected to emerge.
"The best thing for me is them, the teammates that I met, and I've said this in so many interviews, they helped me become a better version of myself because everyone really had one goal. Now, we wanted to grow, and we knew that to grow, we need to be collaborative. It's not really a competition and we have to work together," Gandler said.
"I need to find a team na, at this stage of my career, is going to help me get even further. That’s what I’m hoping for."
GEL CAYUNA
Cayuna entered the pros without much fanfare after her stint with FEU, where she took over playmaking duties from Gyzelle Sy and steered the Lady Tamaraws to a Season 80 finals appearance before serving as team captain the following year.
But beyond those highlights, her collegiate resumé was far from headline-grabbing.
Her pro journey took her across United VC, PayMaya and Banko Perlas before finally finding a home at Cignal in 2022, a move that would redefine her career.
Over the next four years, Cayuna blossomed into one of the league’s elite setters. She collected five Best Setter awards and anchored Cignal’s run to eight podium finishes.
For Cayuna, the team’s leap of faith was life-changing, to say the least.
“Sobrang grateful ko rin kasi kinuha ako ng Cignal na di nila sure kung magpe-perform ba ko, pero sinugalan nila ako. Sobrang pasasalamat din sa Cignal kasi ang laki ng binago ng buhay ko dahil sa tiwala nila sa’kin. Habambuhay akong magpapasalamat sa kanila,” she said.
“Tingin ko nga rin sa Cignal na ako magre-retire pero nangyari na ‘yung nangyari. Kailangan ding mag-move on. Sa ngayon, pina-process pa namin talaga.”
JACKIE ACUÑA
Acuña’s path was even steeper as the Boholana middle blocker barely saw action in college and was even left out of National University’s final roster during its historic Season 84 title run.
With limited exposure and little track record, she entered the PVL carrying mostly potential and hope. Cignal took that gamble, and it paid off.
Acuña emerged as a key piece in the rotation, earning a Best Middle Blocker award in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference while helping the team reach two finals and secure three bronze finishes.
“Sobrang grateful ako sa Cignal dahil nagbukas sila ng pinto kahit na hindi masyadong malaki ‘yung background ko ng college at ‘di ako masyadong nakapaglaro,” she said.
“Sila, sumugal sila kahit potential lang ‘yung dala ko. Magiging forever grateful ako sa Cignal.”
Like Cayuna, Acuña saw Cignal as her long-term home and even the place where she hoped to eventually retire. Now, both are left processing an unexpected turn.
“Medyo fresh lang din po ‘yung nangyari so binibigyan ko po muna ‘yung sarili ko ng time kasi sobrang sakit din po for me kasi na-imagine po na sa Cignal na ako magre-retire, first and last,” Acuña said.
“Kung saan man po ako mapupunta, du’n po sa tingin kong makakatulong sa’kin.”
In the end, Cignal's roster gambles did not just produce results as it also changed careers and gave new leases on life.
Championship aside, the Super Spikers created a legacy built not on hype, but on trust.
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