For months, Galeries Tower had been searching for that one breakthrough win—one that would silence the doubters, validate their sacrifices, and prove that they belonged in the Premier Volleyball League’s upper echelon.
That moment finally came.
Against all odds, Ysa Jimenez and France Ronquillo led the tenth-seeded Highrisers to a stunning four-set upset over the powerhouse Cignal HD Spikers in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference. In a performance fueled by grit and desperation, Galeries Tower defied expectations with a 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-19 victory—securing not only their first-ever playoff appearance but also a place among the league’s rising threats.
At the heart of the monumental win were Jimenez and Ronquillo, two players who refused to let past heartbreaks define their journey. Jimenez, a former UST standout, delivered a career-high 23 points—22 coming from attacks—while Ronquillo, the ex-NU stalwart, added 20 points built on 18 attacks, an ace, and a block, along with 13 excellent receptions.
For both players, this triumph was a culmination of relentless hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering belief that their moment would come.
“Yung pagod, yung luha namin sa training kasi gustong gusto talaga namin manalo. Kasi yun nga, nagtataka kami bakit laging muntik lang? Bakit hindi kami makapanalo? Yun yung parang hugot namin, yung tiyaga namin araw-araw,” Ronquillo shared.
Jimenez echoed the sentiment, recalling the doubts that crept in during their struggles.
“Sobrang saya siyempre kasi worth it lahat ng pagod. Sabi nga ni coach, sobrang dami naming pinagdaanan to the point na ni-question na rin namin kung ano na bang nangyayari sa pinagpapaguran namin,” she said.
“Pero talagang may pinanghahawakan kami. Sinasabi namin na everything happens for a reason—at ito na ‘yun. Sabi nga nila, kapag para sa inyo, ibibigay talaga sa inyo.”
Ronquillo entered the match determined to redeem herself after struggling in previous games. With Cignal standing as a formidable opponent, she knew she had to step up.
“Naging motivation ko this game yung mga past games ko kasi ramdam ko na hindi yun yung laro ko. So gusto ko bumawi para sa teammates ko, and gusto kong i-prove na di ko sila iiwan,” said the 5-foot-8 opposite spiker.
Jimenez, on the other hand, played with clarity and confidence, trusting the team’s meticulous preparation.
“Sabi lang po sa amin ni coach na no pressure yung game na ‘to kasi wala namang mawawala. Confident kami kasi hindi kami nagkulang sa preparations for this game,” she shared.
Despite their breakthrough performance, Jimenez admitted there were moments of doubt, instances when they questioned if they truly had what it took to go toe-to-toe with the league’s best.
“Palagi namin biruan ‘yun (kung worth it pa ba ‘yung pagod). Naliwanagan din kami with the help of Ms. Inah (Cabrera, team manager), na baka kaya hindi pa binibigay sa inyo ‘yung panalo kasi baka bigla kayong yumabang. Nagbibigay pa rin siya ng mga positive advice.”
With this historic upset, Galeries Tower is no longer just a team happy to be in the playoffs—they are legitimate contenders.
But the road ahead is even tougher, and the challenge now is to prove that this victory was no fluke.
