MANILA – Ysabel Jamie Jimenez earned the Press Corps Player of the Week honors for Feb. 27 to March 1 after leading Galeries Tower to a 25-17, 25-22, 19-25, 25-19 upset of No. 3 Cignal in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals.

The University of Santo Tomas product, averaging just 10 points in 11 games in the preliminary round, delivered a game-high 23 points on a 22-of-55 attacking clip to help the 10th-seeded Highrisers secure a first-ever playoff berth since joining the league in 2023. 

It was also the Highrisers' first win against the HD Spikers.

“It's worth all the effort. Our coach even said, we have been through so much to the point that we are now questioning, 'What is happening to what we are working so hard for?'" Jimenez said in a news release.

“Coach told us to play without pressure because we had nothing to lose. We were confident because we prepared well,” she added.

Jimenez bested teammate Alyssa Eroa (top libero), Petro Gazz’s Brooke Van Sickle, Creamline’s Bea De Leon and Choco Mucho’s Sisi Rondina for the weekly award, which is given by print and online reporters covering the PVL.

“We really hold onto something, we say that everything happens for a reason and this is it. They say, when it's meant for you, it will be given to you," Jimenez said.

Coach Lerma Giron told her players not to waste the chance they earned as they face the winner of the qualifying match between Farm Fresh and Akari in the best-of-three quarterfinals series.

“We have to stand up for it. We fought for it on this stage, we know where we are going in the next level. It's really very challenging. On-and-off is no longer possible here," Giron said. “I trust the players and even the coaches. And this is also what we want. So by God's grace, we will stand by it." (PNA)