Gandler back with a big bang

Winger Vanie Gandler relished her first game with Cignal following a tour of duty with Alas Pilipinas.

Although she had to adjust to head coach Shaq delos Santos’ system and play alongside new teammates, Gandler contributed off the bench in the HD Spikers’ first win in the ongoing 2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational.

The open hitter had a relief role in all four sets as Cignal came back from a set down to prevail over ZUS Coffee, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19, to fan its podium hopes on Monday at the Philsports Arena Pasig City.

Gandler had six points to help the HD Spikers end a two-game skid in the tournament and four straight overall since the semifinal of the pre-season On Tour.

“Today, it was really more about adjusting because I didn’t get to train with the team yet. I’m happy I was able to play a bit, and I’m happy the team was still able to perform well. So, I don’t have that much pressure because they do their job well,” Gandler said.

“In the coming days, of course, it’s an adjustment period for me with the connection with the setters, most especially.”

The Ateneo de Manila University product skipped the On Tour to fulfill her Alas duties.

Gandler, along with Cignal libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig, helped the national squad bag a silver medal in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup and a pair of bronze medals in the two-leg Southeast Asian V-League.

The 24-year-old spiker hopes her international experience will not only up her game but will also bring what she learned playing against the best teams in the region to Cignal, which is looking for redemption after a fourth-place finish in the On Tour.

“The whole experience of playing on that level, I want to bring here what I learned. Hopefully, my maturity, since I have more exposure now, I can bring that to the team,” she said.

“And also teach them the little things I learned and the aggressiveness of being in the national team.”

She particularly wants to inspire Cignal’s young players, like sophomore spiker Ishie Lalongisip and rookie Erin Pangilinan.

“It’s kind of like what I said earlier, the aggressiveness inside the court, that’s what I saw that hopefully I can teach the younger ones like Ishie. I got that from my experience in being brave,” Gandler said.

“My mindset isn’t to change them but make sure that I do what I have to do, not just in games, in practice, outside of practice, so that they see that we’re doing our jobs and this is what will help.”

Cignal carries a carryover record of 1-3 and will finish the elimination round on Thursday against Kobe Shinwa University of Japan.

The HD Spikers need to beat the guest squad for a chance to vie for bronze.