Farm Fresh finally broke new ground, and at the center of the milestone moment was a familiar name rediscovering her touch at just the right time.
Veteran wing spiker Ara Galang stepped up when it mattered most, powering the Foxies to their first-ever semifinal appearance after a convincing straight-sets victory over Nxled in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference play-in round on Tuesday at the Filoil Centre.
The Foxies controlled the match from start to finish, carving out a 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 win to officially book a seat in the Final Four.
For Galang, it was a long-awaited breakout in a campaign that began with patience and adjustment. After joining Farm Fresh following the disbandment of Chery Tiggo, the former De La Salle standout initially struggled to settle into rhythm and even found herself coming off the bench early in the preliminaries.
But given a starting role in the crucial play-in clash, she delivered her most composed outing yet in Foxies colors—finishing with nine points and six excellent receptions while providing stability on both ends.
“Kailangan always ready lang din talaga, at kailangan i-make most out of it kapag ginamit ka, kapag pinagkatiwalaan ka,” Galang said, emphasizing her mindset when her number is called.
Beyond the stat sheet, her presence brought calm and experience to a young Farm Fresh side still carving its identity under Japanese head coach Koji Tsuzurabara. Known for his deep rotation system and trust in the team’s bench strength, Tsuzurabara leaned on Galang’s veteran savvy in a high-pressure setting—and the gamble paid off.
Now firmly back in rhythm, Galang made it clear her focus remains on consistency and contribution rather than spotlight moments.
“Gustong-gusto ko lang namang makatulong sa team, maka-contribute para manalo, at makaabot ng semis. So best effort lang kung ano ang kaya ko talaga, and ibibigay ko yung best ko,” she said.
As Farm Fresh heads into uncharted territory, the Foxies will lean heavily on experienced voices like Galang, whose leadership extends beyond scoring runs.
“More on work ako kaysa talk. Ginagawa ko lang kung ano yung makakaya ko para ma-inspire sila at maengganyo sila,” she added.
For a team still defining its culture, that steady presence has become just as valuable as points on the board.
“Yung disiplina namin at kung paano kami nagtrabaho as one, yun ang magdadala sa amin sa taas. Hopefully, ma-maintain namin o maangat pa namin,” Galang said.
