Chery Tiggo turned to veteran winger Ara Galang in bringing down Capital1, 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18, 15-11, in a challenging start in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Tuesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Galang scattered 23 points off 18 attacks, four kill blocks and an ace to lead the Crossovers, which lost some key players during the offseason.

Chery Tiggo survived a scare posed by the younger yet feisty Solar Spikers in the fifth set after Capital1 came back from a 4-7 deficit to knot the game at 9-9.

Galang sparked the Crossovers’ closing 6-1 run with an easy placement to end a long rally before icing the game with an ace for a perfect welcome to debuting Chery Tiggo head coach Norman Miguel.

“During training usually after our technical skills training, we always remind them that the most important thing is that we develop our character and maturity. So when we reached the fifth set, we told them that it’s not about technical skills anymore but a battle of character,” Miguel said.

“Good thing it translated into this game so I’m very happy.”

Ces Robles scored all of her 12 points on attacks while Shaya Adorador added 11 markers for the Crossovers, who had 15 kill blocks.

Aby Marano had nine points while Pauline Gaston and Daps Dapol chipped in with eight each for Chery Tiggo, which played without opposite spiker Mylene Paat, libero Jen Nierva and setter Jasmine Nabor who are all still undergoing strength and conditioning.

The Crossovers parted ways with EJ Laure and libero Buding Duremdes during the offseason while still ironing out the release of prized winger Eya Laure.

Capital1 went down, 4-7, in the fifth frame before rookie Leila Cruz and Heather Guino-o willed their team back for a 9-9 deadlock only to fizzle out in the final stretch.

Cruz, the No.2 overall pick in the Draft, scored a career-best 20 points she collected from 14 kills, five kill blocks and an ace.

Patty Orendain finished with 14 and Guino-o added 12 for the Solar Spikers.