PVL: Mylene Paat at forefront of Crossovers’ rise

Mylene Paat leads Chery Tiggo to another win in PVL Reinforced Conference. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — In an import-laden tournament, Mylene Paat has emerged as one of the top players so far as she is determined to help Chery Tiggo rise again in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.

Paat poured 19 points, including the big blows in the fourth set, as Chery Tiggo gained an early 2-0 lead after beating Cignal, 25-23, 20-25, 25-21, 25-20, on Saturday at Philsports Arena.

The Philippine women’s volleyball team mainstay has been the Crossovers’ stabilizer, averaging a team-high 17.5 points in their first two wins.

She is currently the league’s top spiker with a 47.95 percent attack rate and a top five scorer with a total of 35 points, tied with F2 Logistics’ Kalei Mau as the two locals behind PLDT import Elena Samoilenko, Choco Mucho’s Odina Aliyeva, Akari’s Prisilla Rivera, and Tai Bierria of Cignal.

Paat is just eager to lift her team after back-to-back eighth place finishes in the first two conferences.

“Siyempre naguumpisa kami ulit na bumangon. Kumbaga step by step, parang pangalawang  baitang ‘to na pagsubok na dumating sa amin so na-overcome namin. Sobrang thankful ako kasi yun na nga, malaking bagay yung second win namin ngayon,” said the Crossovers skipper.

(We’re starting to rise again. We’re doing it step by step, it’s like the second level of challenge that we overcame. I’m just thankful for our second win because this is big for our campaign.)

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From being the first PVL pro champions in 2021, Chery Tiggo dropped as the cellar dweller of the past two tournaments.

But this season-ending conference, Paat is seeing their younger teammates playing their hearts out and working hard, which gives an extra push to her and other holdovers.

“Everyone is determined to play their hearts out. And our young teammates are hardworking. It gives us, veterans, an extra push when we see them step up and contribute. That’s why everyone is doing their best,” she said in Filipino after Czarina Carandang and EJ Laure also stepped up

It’s a good start for Paat and the Crossovers but they have no plans of slowing down, remaining hungry for more wins to reach their goal to reclaim the top again this conference.

“As what coach (Clarence Esteban) told us, we will focus on whoever we face. We’ll take it one game at a time,” Paat said.

Chery Tiggo guns for its third win against Akari on Thursday at the same venue in Pasig City.