Farm Fresh stayed firmly in the hunt for the top seed after crushing Galeries Tower in straight sets on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Ynares Center in Montalban. The Foxies entered the match with their quarterfinal seat already secured, but with the standings tightening, they treated the Highrisers as an important hurdle in their push to stay ahead of the pack.

The early going, however, revealed a different narrative. Galeries Tower came out pressing on every touch, forcing Farm Fresh into hesitant swings and messy coverage. For nearly the entire first frame, the Foxies struggled to establish their rhythm as the Highrisers kept the score tight and even briefly held the lead.

Head coach Alessandro Lodi snapped the spell late in the opener, igniting his team with a blunt message during a heated timeout. His urgency resonated instantly, giving Farm Fresh the spark it needed to escape the tight set and finally assert itself.

The turnaround continued as the Foxies leaned on quicker reactions, sharper ball distribution, and improved communication to seize control of the match’s tempo. Their first-set breakthrough reset the tone and exposed the gulf in execution between the two squads.

Farm Fresh surges ahead in the standings

With their focus restored, the Foxies built a commanding lead behind their signature power game. Their servers pushed the Highrisers off the net, their blockers shut down open lanes, and their attackers punished every out-of-system ball. Galeries Tower, after nearly flipping the script early, struggled to maintain its defensive structure as Farm Fresh’s pace accelerated.

The win lifted the Foxies to 6-1 for 18 points, nudging them past ZUS Coffee and momentarily securing sole ownership of the No. 1 spot. The top-seed race remains tight, with just two playdates left before the close of the double-phase preliminaries and multiple contenders still in the mix.

Farm Fresh, though, faces a demanding finish. Chery Tiggo awaits on Thursday in a pivotal matchup, while ZUS Coffee braces for the lighter-ranked Nxled on Tuesday. PLDT, holding a 5-1 record, is also positioned to complicate the leaderboard depending on its ongoing results.

Showcase of depth reinforces Farm Fresh’s status

Eli Rousseaux delivered another standout showing, leading all scorers with 19 points anchored by three blocks and three aces. Her all-around consistency once again earned her Best Player honors, and she admitted afterward that the sluggish opening was a lapse they could not afford to repeat.

The Foxies’ supporting cast backed her up with clinical efficiency. Trisha Tubu poured in 16 points, Lorene Toring dominated the middle with 11 markers and four blocks, and Alohi Robins-Hardy orchestrated 23 excellent sets while adding five points of her own. Rizza Cruz contributed six more as Farm Fresh ruled every scoring skill, including a 47-34 edge in attacks and an overwhelming 8-1 advantage in blocks.

Galeries Tower showed promise early but faded once the pressure mounted. Jelena Cvijovic managed 12 points, Ysa Jimenez scored nine, and France Ronquillo and Dim Pacres added five apiece as the Highrisers fell to 0-7.

With their late-set comeback fueling a decisive momentum shift, the Foxies underscored why they now sit atop the standings—and why they intend to stay there as the playoff picture sharpens.