The Cignal Super Spikers bounced back with a straight-set victory over the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles to stay on top of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Vanie Gandler stepped up in a big way as Cignal quickly regained its footing with a straight-set victory over ZUS Coffee, 25-18, 25-23, 25-22, in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, March 5, at the FilOil Centre in San Juan.
Looking to move past a tough five-set loss to the Akari Chargers, the Super Spikers responded with a composed and disciplined effort on both ends of the floor to secure their fifth win of the conference.
Gandler led the charge with 20 points while anchoring Cignal’s floor defense with 13 excellent receptions.
Despite her strong offensive outing, the 25-year-old outside hitter emphasized that the team remains focused on continuous improvement rather than individual roles.
"I'm not really looking at it like I'm the front of the offense. I'm just doing everything I can do to help the team," said Gandler. "So, when I see that the team needs to make a point, I try to be as aggressive as I can be because I know that I prepare well naman."
Despite facing a struggling Thunderbelles squad, Gandler acknowledged that the Super Spikers' success so far in the conference does not guarantee anything in a tightly contested field.
"Yeah, we know that no one is safe, even though we started the conference strong. We know that we're not safe because everyone has wins, everyone has losses," Gandler said.
"Now is not the time for us to relax. So, every practice, we're really doing our best to stay aggressive and to keep improving from all our mistakes."
[ALSO READ: Vanie Gandler confident Cignal core can stay competitive in PVL All-Filipino]
Cignal also used the match as an opportunity to address key lessons from its previous defeat to Akari, particularly in terms of mental toughness and adjustments.
Roselyn Doria-Aquino provided solid support in the middle with 11 markers, while Erika Santos and Jackie Acuna added nine and eight points, respectively.
"We saw what we need to work on. And, also, the mental toughness coming into the next games," she said. "We also know that every team is studying us, so we need to find ways to play even better, and also, to make more adjustments as well to our game."
Vanie Gandler and the Cignal Super Spikers during their PVL match against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
With the win, Cignal improved to 5-2 and remained at the top of the standings by virtue of superior match points.
The Super Spikers will now enjoy over a week of rest before returning to action against the Capital1 Solar Spikers on Saturday, March 14, at the same venue.
ZUS Coffee, which absorbed its third straight defeat to fall to 1-6, will look to bounce back when it faces the Nxled Chameleons on Thursday, March 12.
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.