Dream turned reality as Aby Maraño links up with Mylene Paat in Chery Tiggo
When Aby Maraño and Mylene Paat forged a passion-fueled duo while playing for flag and country in the past, the two shared an afterthought.
"We were thinking about it already na what if magkasama tayo sa isang team," recalled Maraño, the former Philippine women's volleyball team captain.
"Kasi sa national team, grabe 'yung fire namin together when we play together. Lalo na kapag pitpitan tapos crucial 'yung ano, tapos kaming dalawa 'yung mainit at bumobomba sa loob."
It was a mere afterthought, and there was no intended plan to make that collective dream into a reality.
But as fate would have it, F2 Logistics Cargo Movers disbanded its club team in the tailend of 2023. And Maraño, who had been a Cargo Mover for eight years, suddenly found herself in limbo.
In such an uncertain situation, the former La Salle stalwart would then turn to Paat and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
"So in-imagine namin 'yun together without us knowing na magdilang anghel kami. Ako, kami ni Ara (Galang), 'di naman namin ginusto na mangyari samin yun. But eto na nga, ang tadhana ang gumuguhit kung saan kami papunta and tuloy tuloy na 'to," Maraño said.
"Kaya every day, isa din sa reason na na-excite ako is because I’m playing with my bestfriend."
They were, after all, swishters from another mother.
[ALSO READ: PVL preview: Chery Tiggo revvs up engine for swaggy podium finish]
It has only been over a month since Maraño, along with Galang, jumped ship to Chery Tiggo, but she already feels right at home.
The 31-year-old middle blocker even admitted that wearing the bright red threads of the Crossovers feels all too natural.
"Today, actually, bago ako pumasok sa dugout, meron akong slight na thought pumasok sa isip ko, sabi ko first time na naka-red akong papasok dito pero yung feeling na kasama mo 'yung Chery Tiggo, at home na at home kami, kasi never kami nagkaroon ever ng feeling na awkward o na iba kami sakanila," she gushed.
"Talagang 'yung gelling with the team naging madali para samin kasi hindi sila mahirap pakisamahan."
Such seamless cohesion was evident in Chery Tiggo's bronze-medal stint in the PNVF Champions League and its campaign opener in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, which resulted in a dominant sweep of debuting Capital1, on Tuesday.
Maraño and the Crossovers are eager to continue their winning ways as they collide with the Strong Group Athletics on February 24, Saturday.
The 2 p.m. game will air on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app.