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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Volleyball devider Fired-up Foxies demolish Highrisers to check skid

Fired-up Foxies demolish Highrisers to check skid

Published Feb 14, 2026 06:21 pm

At A Glance

  • Stung by consecutive defeats, including a blown 2-1 set lead in their conference opener, the Foxies responded with urgency and authority, dismantling the Highrisers in just 69 minutes to thrust themselves back into contention in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
Farm Fresh showed no mercy on Valtentine’s Day, roaring back from a couple of frustrating setbacks with an empathic 25-14, 25-15, 25-12 victory over Galeries Tower to revive its campaign in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Ynares Center on Saturday, Feb. 14.
Stung by consecutive defeats, including a blown 2-1 set lead in their conference opener, the Foxies responded with urgency and authority, dismantling the Highrisers in just 69 minutes to thrust themselves back into contention in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The outcome became the most lopsided result of the two-week tournament – previously defined by tightly contested battles and dramatic finishes – as the Foxies turned the retooled Hightowers into little more than a training partner.
The Foxies’ superiority was evident in the numbers. They fired 46 attack points against the Highrisers’ 25, while asserting control at the net with 10 blocks, seven more than their rivals, as Farm Fresh’s wing hitters consistently found seams in the defense and its middle blockers shut down Galeries Tower’s attempts to establish rhythm.
“Masaya at nakuha din namin ang first win,” said Trisha Tubu after earning the Best Player of the Game honors behind a 17-point outing built on 13 attacks.
The power-hitting lefty said she hopes the breakthrough victory sparks a sustained run for the team.
“Ngayon nakuha na ’yung (winning) feeling, ang goal ay manalo uli sa mga susunod na games,” she added.
Ces Molina and Jolina dela Cruz matched nine-point outputs, while Riri Meneses and Mylene Paat contributed seven and five points, respectively, and Rizza Cruz and Royse Tubino added with four markers apiece.
Head coach Koji Tsuzurabara maximized the team’s depth, unleashing a steady rotation of seasoned veterans and emerging talents who maintained the tempo and intensity from start to finish.
The Foxies’ floor defense was equally sharp, turning broken plays into scoring opportunities and limiting the Highrisers to one-and-done possessions.
Galeries Tower, coming off a breakthrough victory that snapped a 17-game skid spanning 345 days, simply could not generate sustained momentum against Farm Fresh’s relentless attacks and disciplined net defense.
More than just a bounce-back win, the triumph underscored Farm Fresh’s enviable depth and balance. Unlike in their previous losses to Nxled and Cignal, the Foxies this time sustained their level regardless of personnel changes. Every substitution kept the pressure intact, with the second unit matching, if not exceeding, the starters’ output.
Paat took charge in the closing stretch of the third set, firing off three consecutive points, the last halting the Highrisers’ two-point rally, slamming the door on any comeback bid and sealing both the set and the match.
Aiza Pontillas led Galeries Tower with nine points while Erika Deloria struggled for seven points after pouring in 18 in their five-set win over the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
Farm Fresh set the tone early, racing to a 12-4 start in the opening frame and never looking back. The Foxies’ aggressive serves and quick transition plays kept Galeries Tower scrambling, as they stretched the gap to as much as 11 points to virtually seal the set before the Highrisers could settle in.
After encountering some resistance in the second frame, Set 3 turned into another dominant showcase for Farm Fresh. The Foxies seized control early at 8-4 then Tubu ignited the surge. She delivered a virtual clinic, accounting for four of the team’s seven unanswered points before finishing another off-the-block hit to stretch the lead to a commanding 16-6 bulge.
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