Chery Tiggo Crossovers’ Mylene Paat (left) in the PVL All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Mylene Paat will miss some games in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals as she tries out in South Korea from April 29 to May 1.
Paat will try to earn a spot in the 2024 Korean V-League Women’s Asian Quota Draft for the second time but her presence will be missed by Chery Tiggo, which will play in the PVL semis with Choco Mucho, Creamline, and Petro Gazz for another round-robin on April 30, May 2, and 4.
The veteran opposite spiker is tempering her expectations in Jeju Island but she will make the most of the experience.
“Yung pagtry out ko sa Korea is I’m not expecting na matanggap ako. It’s part of my exposure, experience na rin,” said Paat after scorung nine points in their 26-24, 23-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-9 win over Galeries on Thursday at Philsports Arena. “I’m so thankful naman kay coach KungFu [Reyes] and sa management namin na Chery ay fully supportive naman sila sa pagtatryout ko.”
READ: Tots Carlos, Mylene Paat, MJ Phillips to tryout in Korean league
The Philippine women’s volleyball team star is confident that her teammates can continue their seven-game winning streak in the semifinals without her.
“May mga mamimiss man ako dito sa semis but then I’m pretty sure na ready yung ibang teammates ko kung sakaling ipasok sila,” said Paat, who wasn’t drafted last year.
WATCH: Mylene Paat is set to miss some games in the semifinals due to her tryout for the Korean V-League. #PVL2024 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/8IYFoN85WZ
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 25, 2024
“Knowing naman na kasama namin si Aby [Maraño] and Ara [Galang] sa pagpasok namin sa semis kahit dadalawang tao lang yan. Ang laking katulungan ng team namin sa pagangat. Back to zero na sa semis, siguro one step at a time and one game at a time. Tuloy tuloy pa rin yung pagaaral namin sa sistema namin.”
READ: PVL: Chery Tiggo gets semifinals spot with tough win over Galeries
Paat along with Creamline star Tots Carlos and Petro Gazz’s MJ Phillips, who was the fifth overall pick of the Gwangju AI Peppers, will be among the 36 applicants in the tryouts.
Chery Tiggo coach KungFu Reyes is ready to make adjustments with his wing spikers Eya and EJ Laure, Ara Galang Cess Robles, and Shaya Adorador as they will play without Paat.
“Mayroon kaming game of adjustments. Ang dami naming wing spikers. Lahat naman yan trainable, adjustable. Basta may tatao diyan. Don’t panic,” said Reyes.
“Siyempre yung Mylene Paat, hindi namin pwedeng palitan yun, Mylene Paat yun eh, pero yung posisyon itself, yun ang importante paano mag-step up at paano magpe-prepare as a player. Kami naka-ready na kami sa part ng coaches. All we need to do is execute every training, adjustment after adjustment.”