Aby Maraño made a heartwarming return to her hometown of Passi City, helping Chery Tiggo remain unbeaten in the PVL on Tour with a four-set victory over Cignal.
It was more than just another game for Aby Maraño—it was a heartfelt homecoming.
The veteran middle blocker got to play in front of her home crowd in Passi City once more and made sure to leave a lasting impression as the Chery Tiggo Crossovers extended their unbeaten run in the PVL on Tour.
Maraño chipped in seven points to help power the Crossovers past the erstwhile undefeated Cignal HD Spikers, 25-13, 26-28, 25-15, 25-15, Saturday at the City of Passi Arena in Iloilo.
“Sobrang natutuwa po ako. Gusto ko pong i-alay yung game na 'to para sa mga kababayan ko dito sa Passi kasi first time nila na mapapanood akong naglalaro live,” Maraño shared during the post-game interview. “Sana proud sila sa akin.”
It was a full-circle moment for the proud Ilongga, who fondly recalled summers spent in Passi with her lola and the Palmares clan.
She noted how many of her relatives were in attendance, along with supporters who traveled from Dumangas, Pototan, and other nearby towns.
“Feeling ko buong pamilya ko yung nanonood kanina,” she beamed. “Maraming mga taga-Passi na alam nilang player ako ng volleyball since college, pero this is the first time na makikita nila ako live kasi dinala dito ang PVL.”
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It’s not the first time that Maraño played in Passi City. However, she was limited in her previous appearance, scoring just two points in Chery Tiggo's straight-sets loss to Choco Mucho in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference.
Now, the 32-year-old middle blocker made it a personal goal to showcase her trademark energy and passion once she got the chance.
“Kapag pinaglaro ako nila coach, kailangan kong ma-showcase talaga yung kung ano ako para mapakita ko sa lahat ng mga taga-Passi kung sino si Aby Maraño,” she said.
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Drawing strength and confidence from her teammates, Maraño proved to be in her element, flashing her signature flair in front of the crowd that stuck around late into the night.
“Alam niyo naman ang buhay sa probinsya, maaga ang tulog ng mga tao pero nagpapa-salamat kami sa lahat po ng nanood, pumunta dito, nage-effort,” she added.
With the win, Maraño and the Crossovers improved to 3-0 for solo first in Pool B as they now shift their focus to their big clash with the slumping Creamline Cool Smashers tomorrow, July 20, at the same venue.