Valdez wants to capture Open crown at home

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Alyssa Valdez has a very special reason to win the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference title on Saturday.

She’ll be playing in her home province.

“This is a rare opportunity for me,” said Valdez, who hails from the beach side town of San Juan. “Not only will I play inspired but I think it’s also one way of giving back to Batangas.”

Valdez and Creamline shoot for the crown against Motolite-Ateneo in Game 2 of the best-of-three Finals at Batangas City Coliseum at 4 p.m.

The Cool Smashers, who took Game 1, basically have a twice-to-beat advantage but Valdez and her teammates don’t want to have to reach for that crutch against the surprise finalists Lady Eagles.

Valdez is pretty sure that the home crowd, which will serve as “our seventh man who will cheer for us no matter what,” will prod Creamline in its bid to bag its second straight title after ruling the Reinforced Conference in July.

But Ateneo coach Oliver Almadro said they would bounce back from their lethargic performance in series opener.

“My players will really do their best and will never ever give up,” said Almadro.