Ara Galang is truly back — and she now has the hardware to prove it.
The veteran spiker was named the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Best Opposite Spiker, a testament to her resurgence.
After battling through injuries and setbacks in previous years, Galang rediscovered her form and fire with Chery Tiggo, reestablishing herself among the league’s finest.
This recognition marks her first-ever individual award in the PVL, a milestone that the 30-year-old proudly cherishes. Still, the achievement comes with mixed emotions, as the Crossovers fell short of a podium finish.
The team fell to the Creamline Cool Smashers in the bronze medal match, 15-25, 13-25, 22-25, last Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
(C) PVL Images
“Super happy ako na nagkaroon ako ng award and na-recognize yung tinrabaho ko. Pero yun, medyo bittersweet kasi nga yung podium hindi namin na-achieve, pero ganon talaga,” said the De La Salle University alumna.
“Marami pa rin talaga akong kulang so pagtatrabahuhan lang namin as a team.”
Throughout the tournament, Galang showcased her all-around impact. She ranked eighth in scoring with 69 points, ninth in spiking with a 25.93-percent efficiency, fourth in blocking with 0.55 per set, and seventh in digging with 2.00 per set — numbers that underline her value on both offense and defense.
Looking ahead, Galang aims to build on this momentum. She hopes to turn Chery Tiggo’s fourth-place finish into fuel for their Reinforced Conference campaign, with the goal of finally climbing back onto the podium.
Before the Invitationals, the Crossovers had already shown promise by reaching the gold medal match of the PVL On Tour, where they pushed PLDT to five sets before settling for silver — their first medal since winning the 2021 Open Conference.
“Magpapatuloy lang ako. Ipagpapatuloy ko lang yung ginagawa kong trabaho and as much as I can, hihigitan ko pa yung nagagawa ko,” Galang vowed.
