Galeries Tower nearly beat itself.

The Highrisers built commanding leads in the first and third sets, only to watch a stunning service meltdown hand Farm Fresh new life in the second, before steadying themselves in a nerve-wracking fourth set to escape with a 25-17, 24-26, 25-19, 26-24 win over the Foxies on Saturday in the PVL On Tour at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum.

The victory was a rare and significant one for a Galeries Tower squad that has historically struggled to open seasons on a winning note, and it hinted at a team finally capable of hanging with the league’s top contenders.

Six Straight Service Errors Nearly Cost Galeries Tower the Match

Galeries Tower looked in complete control for most of the match, jumping out to a 7-0 run in the first set and taking an early lead behind an explosive start. The Highrisers repeatedly exploited a tentative, out-of-sync Farm Fresh squad to dictate tempo and build early confidence.

But the second set exposed a costly flaw. Despite out-attacking the Foxies, 15-12, Galeries Tower unraveled from the service line, committing 13 total errors — seven more than Farm Fresh — including six consecutive service miscues from an 8-all tie that handed the set right back to the Foxies.

The Highrisers regained their footing in the third set, jumping ahead 13-7 behind another fast start to restore their two-sets-to-one cushion, but the service struggles set the stage for a tense finish.

Rookie Setter, Veteran Finisher Seal Dramatic Fourth-Set Win

The fourth set turned into an absolute battle, and this time, Galeries Tower didn’t blink.

Aiza Pontillas gave the Highrisers a 21-19 edge with back-to-back attacks before veterans Royse Tubino and Mylene Paat-Rezanova answered with an attack and a block to even things up. Jean Asis put Galeries Tower back in front with a quick hit, and Erika Deloria followed with a down-the-line winner off a strong defensive sequence. Lycha Ebon then countered a Tubino crosscourt attack to push the Highrisers to match point — but Farm Fresh refused to fold, with Ces Molina and Riri Meneses each delivering clutch points to extend the set.

Galeries Tower closed it out anyway. Ebon came through with a kill through a double block, and rookie setter Lams Lamina delivered the play of the match: a disguised, one-handed set that Roselle Baliton emphatically converted for the win, capping a one-hour, 57-minute battle. Farm Fresh briefly challenged the point for a possible net fault, but video review confirmed Baliton had stayed clear, sealing the victory.

“Sinabi ko nga sa players ko na dito namin masusubukan ngayon ‘yung mga skills na pinaghirapan namin bago mag-start ‘yung season,” said head coach Clarence Esteban, essentially telling his squad this match would test the skills they had worked hard on ahead of the season.

“Maganda ‘yung nilabas nila nung game, dahil na rin sa kagustuhan nilang manalo nitong araw na ‘to. Pero syempre hindi basta-basta rin si Farm Fresh, so grateful ako sa mga players namin na nagpursigi para makuha namin ‘yung panalo,” Esteban added, praising his players’ fighting spirit against a Farm Fresh team he knew wouldn’t go down easy.

Deloria led all scorers with 24 points on a dominant all-around effort — 22 attacks, 10 excellent digs and 13 excellent receptions. Pontillas added 13, while Asis and Baliton each chipped in nine. Ebon and Jade Gentapa contributed seven apiece as Galeries Tower outgunned Farm Fresh in attacks, 65-51, and dominated at the net, 9-4, in blocks.

Setter Jules Coronel ran the Highrisers’ offense with 21 excellent sets, while Lamina’s clutch feed provided the match’s signature moment.

Last season’s MVP Trisha Tubu was limited to just six points in three-set action for Farm Fresh. Tubino led the Foxies with 12 points, followed by Ara Galang with 11 and Paat-Rezanova with eight, while Louie Romero tallied 13 excellent sets in the loss.

The win pushed Galeries Tower into a share of the early standings lead alongside opening-day winners Creamline and ZUS Coffee, as the Highrisers look to carry their newfound composure into the rest of the PVL On Tour conference.