Rookie Erika Deloria is a star in the making for the revamped Galeries Tower Highrisers in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Erika Deloria has been quite a revelation for Galeries Tower early in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
In her first game against Cignal last week, she led the way for the High Risers with 10 points all on attacks. She also had six excellent receptions.
Still, she could not prevent her squad from succumbing 17-25, 14-25, 11-25.
Come Saturday, Feb. 7, she made sure to change the script.
The rookie spiker produced another team-best 18 points to tow Galeries Tower to victory this time against Zus Coffee, 25-20, 25-22, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10.
She shared topscoring honors with Gayle Pascual, with the duo combining for 33 attacks.
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For Deloria, her performance was simply rooted in her coaches' and teammates' belief.
“More on trust talaga,” Deloria, who also tallied 15 excellent receptions, shared during the post-game press conference.
“'Yong trust na ibinigay ng coaches sa akin. Gusto ko 'yong mindset na ibinigay nila, so kailangang gawin ko rin palagi 'yong best ko.”
Deloria’s sudden rise carries extra weight given her unconventional path to the professional ranks.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Julia Coronel embraces leadership role for retooled Galeries Tower squad | OneSports.PH]
Making a name for herself
Unlike many of her peers, she did not come from the traditional UAAP or NCAA pipelines.
Still, Deloria proved her talent in the 2025 PVL Draft Combine, where she was selected 20th overall by Chery Tiggo.
“Honestly, hindi naging madali,” admitted Deloria, a product of Enderun Colleges.
“Mahirap talaga 'yong journey pero mahal ko 'yong volleyball. Kahit hindi ko alam kung ano 'yong nasa unahan, tuloy lang ako kasi may faith ako na kailangan ko lang magpatuloy.”
That perseverance, she said, has made every opportunity with Galeries Tower feel earned.
While she acknowledged having something to prove, Deloria stressed that her motivation remains team-first.
“Siyempre, mayroon naman [akong] gustong patunayan pero ginagawa ko lang ‘to kasi gusto kong makatulong,” she explained.
“Kung nasaan man akong team, gusto kong mag-contribute. So far, nakahanap ako ng home dito sa Galeries.”
The Highrisers will look to build on the momentum when they go for back-to-back wins against Farm Fresh next Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Ynares Center Antipolo.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.