Gritty hitting duo brings big-time experience, chemistry to Capital1

Vanie Gandler (left) and Erika Santos will bring their solid partnership to the Solar Spikers. —MARLO CUETO

Towards the end of Cignal’s amazing run in the PVL All-Filipino Conference last month, Erika Santos and Vanie Gandler took pride in how they always had each other’s backs.

The Super Spikers are no more, their tenure coming to an end after their franchise took a leave of absence.

But the duo remains inseparable.

“I’m also thankful because Vanie is still with me,” Santos said after joining Capital1 for the next PVL season. “During the past conferences, we really had each other’s backs and shared the responsibilities together.”

They have a different task now. Once the spearhead of a tireless Cignal offense, the two will add much-needed experience to an attack that features perhaps the best hitter in the league today, young star Bella Belen.

But the former 1-2 punch of Cignal, both Most Valuable Player winners, will approach the task with the same mentality.

“The experience and momentum we’re bringing into this new team [will be] a big factor,” Santos said, adding that she is eager to share “the experience and lessons that Vanie and I gained” with their new teammates.

Integrating into the Solar Spikers’ system should not be a problem for the two, who joined Capital1 alongside former Nxled setter Jaja Maraguinot. After all, they’ve gone through so much together that they function almost like a single entity.

“That’s a huge thing for me because of the chemistry we already built both inside and outside the court,” Santos, a former PVL On Tour MVP, said. “We have open communication and no matter what happens, we know we can always talk to each other properly.”

Gandler, the most recent All-Filipino Conference MVP, was grateful for the chance to compete beside Santos.

“The connection we built both on and off the court really took time, patience, and conscious effort from both of us,” the former Ateneo standout said. “We made it a point to constantly communicate, call each other out when needed and talk not just about volleyball but also about our work ethic and mindset.”

“That’s why I’m really grateful Erika is still with me because she understands how I work, knows how to call me out when needed and it’s the same the other way around.”

Santos transferred from PLDT to Cignal last year and came out of her shell, rising as the first PVL on Tour MVP. She emerged as one of the league’s top opposite hitters and an All-Star starter.

But the former La Salle stalwart had to embark on a new journey after Cignal’s sudden leave.

“It wasn’t an easy decision because we really had to process everything that happened. It wasn’t a small decision to make. I had already become attached to my teammates and to the system we had, so starting a new journey again is definitely challenging. But now, we’re here with Capital1,” she said.

On May 30, Santos will be crowned as the season’s Most Improved Player in the 2nd PVL Press Corps Awards Night at Novotel, where Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez will receive the Miss Quality Minutes trophy and Kianna Dy of PLDT will be named as the Comeback Player of the Year.

Santos is expected to make an immediate impact for the Solar Spikers, who haven’t reached the semifinals since joining the league two years ago.

“There are a lot of expectations and adjustments along the way. It won’t be easy, so we’ll really work hard,” Santos said.