Tots Carlos raring to make SEA Games debut with Creamline teammates

Tots Carlos during the Philippine women’s volleyball team training. MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Tots Carlos is thrilled to make her Southeast Asian Games debut, seeking to contribute to the Philippine women’s volleyball team’s bid to end an 18-year medal drought in Cambodia.

Carlos sees action in the biennial meet for the first time when the women’s national team opens its Group B campaign against host Cambodia on Tuesday, 6 p.m., at Indoor Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh.

“It’s my first SEA Games so for me, it’s really exciting because it’s a new experience and also, I’m not actually pressuring myself or whatever I’m just really excited for this new experience now that I’m finally part of the national team,” Carlos, the three-time Premier Volleyball League MVP, told Inquirer Sports in Filipino.

“I’m really doing my best to contribute to the team so whatever the coaches need, we are ready to deliver. I’m also excited because I’m with my Creamline teammates and coach Sherwin (Meneses). We have good communication so I’m really excited and looking forward to the SEA Games.”

The University of the Philippines product emerged as a rising star heading to her first SEA Games after winning Creamline’s three titles and all her Conference MVP awards in the past four PVL tournaments.

But the 24-year-old Carlos is not looking at those accolades as she wants to bring all the lessons from her past experiences when she wears the Philippines on her chest.

“I’m not really looking at how many awards I got. It’s more of the lessons I learned. This coming SEA Games, it’s a new system and I have new teammates so our focus is building our chemistry,” she said. “But I’m really grateful for those awards but our mindset is how we will fight and how we will win this SEA games.”

The decorated wing spiker said having her Creamline teammates Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Jia De Guzman, Michele Gumabao, Ced Domingo, and Kyla Atienza on her side is an advantage for the team but they are also forming a great bond with Mylene Paat, Kat Tolentino, Dell Palomata, Gel Cayuna, Glaudine Troncoso, Cherry Nunag, and Bang Pineda.

“I think, for me, it is a huge factor to have them because I already know my teammates but you can’t see any division between us and other PVL players,” said Carlos. “Everyone is making an effort  to get along and apply the system of coach Jorge.”

Carlos already represented the national team twice last year, giving the country’s best finish of sixth place in the AVC Cup for Women but placing last in the Asean Grand Prix with Valdez missing both tournaments due to dengue.

The Philippines tries to reach the podium for the first time since its 2005 bronze finish in Manila. And Carlos promises to leave everything on the floor.

“We’ll really do our best to win games and execute our training well. This fight is for all the Filipinos,” she said.

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