RODRIGUEZ, Rizal — Erika Deloria’s journey to professional volleyball has been anything but conventional.
Coming from Enderun College, a school outside the traditional UAAP and NCAA pipelines, she entered the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Draft as an underdog and was selected 20th overall.
Many overlooked her, but what she lacked in exposure, she made up for with sheer passion and relentless work ethic.
Adjusting to the professional level wasn’t easy for the 24-year-old outside hitter. Surrounded by players groomed in the country’s top collegiate programs, Deloria had to prove herself every day, both in training and on the court.
Her drive to improve, paired with a love for the game that never wavered, quickly helped her close the gap and earn the trust of her coaches and teammates.
Now with Galeries Tower, following the sudden disbandment of Chery Tiggo where she saw limited playing time, Deloria has emerged as the Highrisers’ leading scorer. She’s also a key presence on the court, contributing not only offensively but also defensively.
(C) PVL Images
“Honestly, hindi siya madali na journey for me ha. It’s very hard,” Deloria said.
“But still, love ko yung volleyball — my passion for volleyball. Tsaka, alam mo yun, yung tipong I don’t even know what’s up ahead, pero I still keep on going kasi I have the faith na just keep on going kahit ano lang nasa harap. And thank you, Lord — ayun, nandito tayo ngayon,” she added.
On Saturday night, Deloria delivered her best performance in the PVL. And more importantly, she led the Highrisers to a hard-fought five-set triumph over ZUS Coffee, ending a grueling 17-game losing streak that had stretched nearly a year.
The 5-foot-7 outside hitter, after a 10-point outing in their debut loss to Cignal, scored 18 points and recorded 15 excellent receptions.
Deloria credited her standout performance to the trust shown by the coaching staff and her teammates, particularly setter Julia Coronel, whose guidance helped her gain confidence and consistency on the court.
“More on trust. I think yung trust na binigay ng coaches sa akin, gusto ko yung mindset na binigay nila sa akin doon, so I have to make sure na gagawin ko din palagi yung best ko. And also sa teammates ko, the trust they give me every time sa training,” she shared.
“Even si Juju (Coronel), palagi niya akong sinasabihan na ganito, ganyan — very helpful talaga siya. And as Juju said, yung coaches talaga, remind lang palagi kasi it’s very important din, kaya din namin nakuha ‘to kasi hindi din nila kami pinabayaan.“
Despite the challenges and her uphill climb from a non-traditional volleyball background, Deloria admitted she still has something to prove. But she emphasized that her drive isn’t just about showing others — she does it because she genuinely loves the game and wants to give her best every time she steps on the court.
“Syempre, meron naman, but at the same time, I just do it because I want to. Kung saan man ako na team, gusto ko mag-contribute, gusto ko makatulong kahit ano pa ‘yan. Tsaka so far, I found a home in Galeries.”
#WATCH: BINIGAY NILA SA AKIN ‘TO 🏐
Erika Doloria is grateful for the trust given to her by her Galeries Tower coaches and teammates#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/G1WhScMxQX
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— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) February 7, 2026
