Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez in the PVL Invitationals. –PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Valdez is taking Creamline’s first loss of the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season in stride.
The Cool Smashers’ 10-game win streak dating back to their Open Conference eight-game sweep last April got snapped by the resilient Cignal HD Spikers, 21-25, 24-26, 25-14, 22-25, in the PVL Invitational Conference on Thursday at Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna
It was Creamline’s first defeat since losing the championship to Chery Tiggo in the PVL bubble Finals Game 3 last year in Ilocos Norte. But for Valdez, it will serve as a wake-up call and extra motivation for their remaining three matches in the first round of the midseason tournament.
“In every win and every journey, it’s part of it. You win some, you lose some. You just accept it and the important thing is how you come back. We’ll take it as a challenge and it’s an extra motivation for us,” said Valdez, who was limited to nine points. “Sometimes we need a wake-up call for us to learn from our mistakes and improve the things we lack. We’re just thankful for this opportunity and it happened in the middle part of the tournament.”
The three-time PVL MVP admitted that Cignal’s veteran spikers got the better of them after they gave up 32 errors and failed to match the HD Spikers’ 13 blocks — four each from Ces Molina and Ria Meneses.
“We gave up too many errors. Hands down to Cignal they really played well today. Unfortunately, we had so many unforced errors. It’s also hard to score a point with their very strong blocking. Their height is very intimidating inside the court,” Valdez said in Filipino.
Creamline dropped to 2-1 tied with PLDT and Army Black Mamba at the No.2 spot, while Cignal became the first team to secure a berth to the next round, where the top four teams will be joined by Kobe Shinwa University of Japan and KingWhale Taipei.
The only silver lining from their loss was the support of the 5,436 fans in Laguna, who mostly cheered for Valdez and the Cool Smashers.
“It felt like a weekend game. We’re just so happy to see this kind of support despite the restrictions caused by the surge of COVID-19 cases. But we really appreciate them for appreciating the sport even we played in Laguna. Hopefully, we will see them this Saturday,” she said.
Valdez vowed that Creamline will bounce back from this setback as it battles its sister team Choco Mucho on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“Our remaining games are very important. We have to learn, assess and reflect on this loss,” Valdez said. “Choco Mucho has been doing well also. Unfortunately, they are missing several players. We’re really praying that they will come back this Saturday and we’re just gonna prepare for them. We will follow our coaches’ game plan and make up for our lapses as an individual and as a team when we get into practice.”
Choco Mucho announced on Thursday evening that Aduke Ogunsanya suffered a torn ACL on her right knee. The team missed Kat Tolentino, Des Cheng, Chery Nunag, and Thang Ponce, who were said to be “under the weather” last Tuesday. It is still uncertain if the four players will be available on Saturday as the Flying Titans try to end a two-game skid.