Reeling from its most recent loss to Akari last Tuesday, Chery Tiggo found themselves on the brink of absorbing their second consecutive defeat heading into the one-month holiday break of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
With the continued absence of 2022 PVL Reinforced MVP Mylene Paat and middle blocker Imee Hernandez, the Crossovers needed to find a hero to dig deep from a 1-2 set disadvantage against the Galeries Towers Highrisers on Saturday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
A hero they got in the emergence of middle blocker Pauline Gaston, whose poise and grace under composure served as a pivotal factor in Chery Tiggo’s come-from-behind win against a struggling Galeries side.
Gaston delivered three of the final four points needed in the fourth frame to force a decisive fifth set. She continued her momentum in the final frame, scoring three points in the Crossovers’ 8-4 start to eventually seal the win.
“Ang tumatak kasi sa isip ko is yung sinabi ni coach Norman last game na ang puntos ng isa, puntos ng lahat. Ang error ng lahat, error ng lahat. So in relation to what Princess (Robles) said, it was really our whole team effort,” the Ateneo de Manila University product shared, who scored 14 points in Chery Tiggo’s fourth win in six outings.
She went on, “It started with yung mga magandang pasa ni Jennifer (Nierva) kaya nakapag-deliver na ng mga sets yung setter kasi nandyan na yung magandang pasa.
“Everything just started to flow come the fourth and fifth set. It was a whole team effort kaya nga hindi ko alam sino pipiliin na POG kasi lahat nag-step up. Alina came from the bench, she was able to step up. All the people that the coaches trusted to put in talagang nag-deliver sila. And it started with training pa lang. I owe everything to the coaches.”
(C) PVL Images
While Gaston emerged as a timely hero for the Crossovers against a resilient Highrisers squad, she deflected the credit to her teammates and coaches who pushed the former Choco Mucho Flying Titans standout to her limits.
This initiative to continuously go beyond their true potential and limits has paid dividends for Gaston and Chery Tiggo, who – as a ‘rebuilding team’ after the exit of star Eya Laure – holds solo fourth in the 12-team league with a 4-2 record.
“There’s lots of gulat factors because a lot of players are not afraid to go outside of their comfort zone with the help of our coaches kasi our coaches talaga. They push us beyond our limits. They always push us na kaya pa namin to do more and that will also help our overall development as a player kasi gusto namin gumaling pa lalo as a family,” she added.
For head coach Norman Miguel, Gaston’s fine play and clutch heroics against Galeries Tower came to no surprise, citing the importance of her work ethic and leadership in Chery Tiggo’s great start to the conference.
“Si Ponggay kasi, every day sa training yan, siya yung maraming, ‘Coach, ano gagawin sa ganito?’ and maganda dahil naaapply na niya talaga. Grabe yung ilang points na binigay niya, yung mga digs, game changer talaga kanina ‘yon sa totoo lang. Nakaka-proud,” the UAAP champion coach.
