National teaam skipper Alyssa Valdez.
MANILA, Philippines — Despite sitting out in a game in the Southeast Asian Games for the first time, Alyssa Valdez is proud of her teammates for pulling off a 25-5, 25-5, 25-5 demolition of Cambodia on Tuesday evening at Indoor Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh.
In her five SEA Games appearances, the national team skipper missed a game for the first time as she continued to recover from a right knee injury, which she sustained last December in the battle for third of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
But her Creamline teammates Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza were able to fill in her big shoes as the hard-hitting pair joined hands with Philippine team mainstay Mylene Paat to dominate the Cambodians.
“I’m very very proud of the girls. Medyo light in a way to start the SEA Games campaign but we’re really taking it one game at a time,” said Valdez. “We’re hoping that this will build our confidence for our game against Vietnam.”
Philippine women’s volleyball team in SEA Games 2023.
After dominating its first Group B assignment, the real test awaits the Philippines when it faces reigning silver medalist Vietnam on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
When the reporters asked National team coach Jorge Souza De Brito if Valdez will finally return to action, the Brazilian played coy, saying they will field her if the team needs her and lauding the skipper’s effort in her recovery process.
“If we need [her], for sure,” De Brito said. “But one thing to say, she’s training hard for this [tournament] We’re pushing her to train hard, really hard.”
The 29-year-old spiker is also hoping to make her return to the volleyball court since she last played on December 6.
“Hopefully, hopefully,” Valdez said. “I’ve been really listening to my coaches, therapists, and doctors. I’m doing pretty well in practice. We really trust coach Jorge’s system and this team.”
Valdez, who was the country’s flag bearer for the second time during the opening ceremonies of the 32nd SEA Games, didn’t play when Creamline ruled the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference last April.
It wasn’t the first time that the three-time PVL MVP missed the national team action as she suffered from dengue when Creamline donned the national colors 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.