Injured Valdez, Morado still show up at national team pool training

Alyssa Valdez (left) cools down with fellow national team pool players during their training at Arellano gym on Thursday. Photo by Bong Lozada

Creamline’s spiker-setter partnership of Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado showed their commitment to the national team despite nursing injuries they suffered in their games in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.

Valdez and Morado were part of the 14 players who showed up in the final training session of the national team pool Thursday at Arellano University.

The couple of Cool Smashers, however, did not join the drills with Valdez nursing a bum right ankle and Morado suffering from tendonitis on her right shoulder.

“Last night my Achilles’ tendon really hurt and then I checked it this morning and Doc [Raul] Canlas told me it might be Achilles tendonitis so he advised me to rest it,” said Valdez in Filipino.

Valdez was able to lead the Cool Smashers to a 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 win over Iriga-Navy with 19 points but only realized her injury before she went to sleep.

Morado, though, left the game against the Lady Oragons in the second set and immediately iced her right shoulder.

“I just need to fully rest and continue ice therapy for a week,” said Morado.

Valdez and Morado joined Myla Pablo, Aby Maraño, CJ Rosario, Jaja Santiago, Rhea Dimaculangan, Myka Ortiz, Becca Rivera, Denden Lazaro, Mika Reyes, Mylene Paat, and Cess Molina in the training session.