Vanie Gandler emerges as Cignal’s voice as she is named PVL Press Corps Player of the Week 

For the Cignal Super Spikers, the journey back to the Finals wasn’t defined by a single moment—it was built over time.

Two years of recalibration, adjustments, and quiet progress have finally led them back to the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference championship stage. But within that steady climb, one transformation stood out: the evolution of Vanie Gandler from promising piece to undeniable centerpiece.

Gandler’s rise didn’t happen overnight. Once seen as an emerging talent, the Ateneo de Manila University product has grown into both the emotional anchor and primary scoring option for a team now chasing its first All-Filipino crown.

And when the moment demanded it, she delivered.

In Cignal’s finals-clinching win over the Creamline Cool Smashers at the Mall of Asia Arena, Gandler produced a statement performance—24 points, 10 digs, and 10 excellent receptions—powering her side past one of the league’s most decorated squads.

It wasn’t just production. It was control. Against a team known for its depth and experience, Gandler held her ground, dictating tempo and providing stability on both ends of the floor. 

The performance not only sealed Cignal’s return to the Finals—it also earned her the final PVL Press Corps Player of the Week honors for the conference.

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SUPER VANIE

Vanie Gandler erupts to lead the Cignal Super Spikers past Creamline and into their first PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals, earning PVL Press Corps Player of the Week honors!#PVL2026 #TheHeartofVolleyball pic.twitter.com/01KnZlBz7z

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) April 18, 2026

Yet for Gandler, the story has never been about individual recognition. “We can’t explain how deep this is for us, kasi we know how hard we worked for this. I just have so much gratefulness for the team, kasi the player I am today is because of them,” she shared.

“The way the team is performing is because we just want the best for each other. It’s really not for ourselves, it’s for each other.”

That collective mindset has become the identity of this Cignal squad. Even in their final semifinal outing—a loss to the PLDT High Speed Hitters in a non-bearing match—the Super Spikers stayed focused on the bigger picture. Gandler saw limited action, scoring just one point, as the team opted to rest its core and give its bench valuable minutes ahead of the championship series.

It was a decision rooted in confidence—and preparation.

“Our focus isn’t that we go to the championship. Our focus is that we train like champions every day. So that’s what we do. We ask God for a championship. He’s gonna give us challenges, but we need to play like we’re champions,” Gandler said.

“It means the world because I see the qualities of a champion in each one of them. And it’s made me a better person and player.”

Now, the rebuild has come full circle. Cignal heads into a best-of-three Finals against Creamline at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, armed not just with momentum—but with a clearer identity shaped by growth, patience, and belief.

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