Chery Tiggo team captain Aby Maraño feels delighted to welcome her close friend Mylene Paat back on the court after a long recovery from an undisclosed injury that sidelined her for the past three Premier Volleyball League conferences.
The on-court reunion of the two — who fondly call themselves “soul sisters” — was brief, lasting only two conferences before Paat was forced out during the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, the On Tour, and the Invitational.
Now, the former league MVP is finally about to make her return, and Maraño couldn’t be happier.
“Na-mention ko kasi e, wala e na-mention ko na, babalik na siya. Pero that’s not my story to tell,” the 32-year-old middle blocker said during the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference press launch.
Maraño shared that she has always been proud of Paat, having seen firsthand her friend’s dedication and patience throughout the recovery process.
She believes Paat’s comeback comes at a perfect time for Chery Tiggo, which recently reached the finals of the preseason tournament and the semifinals of the Invitational.
With her experience and skill, Maraño said Paat’s presence will be a major boost as the Crossovers aim to build on that momentum.
“So tingin ko, I’m just saying this because I’m so proud of her, na yung journey niya sa recovery, nagbubunga na, so I would say napakasarap makita na nandiyan siya ulit,” Maraño said.
“Hindi lang dahil best friend ko siya, pero napakasarap din yung paramdam na andiyan siya kasi iba pa rin yung presence ni Mylene sa loob ng court,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
Beyond what she brings to the court, Maraño also highlighted the leadership Paat brings, joining her, Ara Galang, and Cuban import Yunieska Batista in steering Chery Tiggo through the Reinforced Conference.
“Tapos, maganda din yung dynamic namin, kasi parehas nga kaming matanda na sa team. So, yung leadership nandoon, so at least ngayon talagang mas doble yung katuwang ko sa leadership kasi we have her, we have Ara, we have Mylene,” she said.
With Paat back in the fold and the leadership group strengthened, Maraño expressed excitement for what lies ahead as the Crossovers prepare to face a highly competitive field.
“Excited ako makita yung chemistry na meron kami ngayon sa team to go against with other teams na mas challenging ngayon kasi siyempre may foreign players, and then some Alas players are back to play with their respective teams also,” she said.
“So definitely, this conference is going to be a very competitive and challenging conference for sure.”
