For the first time since making the jump to the Premier Volleyball League, the former Ateneo de Manila University 1-2 punch of Vanie Gandler and Faith Nisperos met, this time as rivals.
After the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament, Gandler signed with Cignal after exhausting all her playing years in the collegiate league. Meanwhile, Nisperos skipped her final year in the UAAP and turned professional with Akari.
In their first-ever clash, Gandler’s HD Spikers got the better of Nisperos’ Chargers, winning 25-18, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, to even their slate in the Second All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday.
Gandler also relished facing her former Blue Eagles teammates, Erika Raagas and Jaja Maraguinot, who both went pro after Season 84.
“Yeah, it was very exciting, not only to compete against Faith Nisperos but also against my previous teammates and batchmates Erika Raagas and Jaja Maraguinot,” said Gandler.
Individually, Gandler outperformed Nisperos, scoring 14 points and recording 14 digs, while the latter was held to just 10 points in the two-hour, five-minute affair.
The two led Ateneo’s campaigns in Season 84 and 85, resulting in a bronze medal and a sixth-place finish, respectively.
Despite having already played in the country’s premier league in the last Invitational Conference, they never went face-to-face as their teams were in different pools.
“It was really exciting because, you know, we worked together on the same court for years, and it’s always nice to see familiar faces, but now they’re on the opposite side of the court,” said Gandler.
