PVL semis under way; all eyes on Alyssa Valdez

October 25, 2019 admin Volleyball

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2019 08:10:12 +0000

Creamline, which completed a record sweep of the elims without its two key players in the last three games, tries to move closer to a grand feat with Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado back in the fold as the Cool Smashers face the Motolite side at the start of the PVL Open Conference Final Four Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Center.

Valdez and Morado cut short their training camp with the Nationals in Japan to help anchor Creamline’s title retention drive in the season-ending conference, taking on a team whose top hitter continues to be hobbled by a foot injury that however failed to slow down the team’s Final Four drive following a failed semis bid in the Reinforced Conference.

(L-R) Jia Morado, coach Tai Bundit and Alyssa Valdez

Game 1 of their best-of-three series kicks off at 2 p.m. with No. 2 PetroGazz and third ranked BanKo-Perlas clashing in their side of the playoff at 4 p.m.

The four teams switch game times tomorrow (Sunday) in a grueling back-to-back matches.

Michele Gumabao, who with Jema Galanza, Kyle Negrito, Risa Sato, Celine Domingo, Rosemarie Vargas and Pau Soriano took care of business in the absence of Valdez and Morado, has guaranteed a stronger, fiercer Creamline crew to show in the semis with the duo back in the roster.

“It’s only going to get better from here and we’re ready to welcome them back,” said Gumabao.

But Motolite vowed to give its best shot to stop its powerhouse rival and fuel its own title drive in the league organized by Sports Vision with Myla Pablo raring to go despite being far from top form after sustaining a foot injury that sidelined her from quite a number of games in the elims.

The former National U standout, however, has shown great improvement of late, tallying a pair of 14-point games in the team’s last two outings with the likes of former UP stalwarts Isa Molde and Tots Carlos along with Aie Gannaban, Fenela Emnas, Genn Layug and Jessma Ramos also all going all out to buck overwhelming odds.

“I’ll give it my best shot even if I’m not 100 percent in shape,” said Pablo, a two-time league MVP.

While most give Creamline
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