Enjoying with nothing to lose, Galeries will get greatest franchise win

Alyssa Eroa and the Galeries Tower Excessive Risers’ in win over Cignal HD Spikers within the PVL All-Filipino Convention qualifying spherical. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

Primarily based on their efficiency within the preliminary spherical of the PVL All-Filipino Convention—and even counting how they fared since becoming a member of the league, the Galeries Tower Highrisers would expectedly rank low on everybody’s checklist of groups that will advance to the quarterfinals.

On Thursday night time, Alyssa Eroa and her teammates ripped up these lists.

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“We had performed so many video games, why wouldn’t we wish to win this one?” an emotional Eroa stated after her crew shocked a depleted No. 3-ranked Cignal squad, 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-19, at PhilSports Enviornment.

“We actually wished [to win before], however we saved questioning why we all the time fell simply brief. Why couldn’t we attain that subsequent stage? That’s the place we drew our energy,” stated France Ronquillo, who delivered 20 factors from 18 kills, a block, and an ace, together with 13 wonderful receptions.

Ronquillo additionally sealed the match with a game-icing kill.

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Ending the classification section with only one win in 11 video games and touchdown at No. 10, Galeries Tower defied expectations, securing its greatest achievement since becoming a member of the league by clinching a quarterfinal spot.

“There was a time we questioned ourselves as a result of it felt like all our laborious work wasn’t main anyplace,” stated Ysa Jimenez, who led the Highrisers with 23 factors, all however one from assaults.

“However we held on to the idea that the whole lot occurs for a cause. Like they are saying, if one thing is supposed for you, it’s going to come,” she added.

With the play-in match up subsequent, Galeries Tower has time to savor its inconceivable feat. The crew now awaits the winner between Farm Recent and Akari for its quarterfinal matchup beginning March 15.

Enjoying in simply its third convention, Galeries Tower had by no means come shut to creating the playoffs. However this decided stand ensures at the least an eighth-place end.

With nothing to lose, the hungry and ready Highrisers performed with the whole lot to realize—and the whole lot fell into place for the milestone win.

“Coach advised us there was no stress. Simply benefit from the recreation as a result of we had nothing to lose, and we had been assured in our preparation,” Jimenez stated.

“I consider success doesn’t occur in a single day. Once we gained our first recreation, that’s what I stated, and it nonetheless holds true. That is all a part of the method,” coach Lerma Giron added.

“Previously, we had been all the time ‘close-but-not-quite’ there as a result of we weren’t full. However now, I see it in my gamers and training workers. Although we’re nonetheless removed from perfection, we’ve discovered unity.”

“Earlier than, we performed with totally different objectives. Now, we’re all on the identical web page, and that is the consequence. It’s a course of.”