Alyssa Valdez feels thrilled about her upcoming matchup with Bella Belen in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference this Saturday.
Their upcoming clash at the Filoil Centre at 4:00 PM will be the first official meeting between Valdez and Belen, as Creamline and Capital1 played in different groups during Belen’s PVL debut in last year’s Reinforced Conference.
“First game pala namin ni Bella. I am very excited na makatapat rin si Bella,” said the three-time PVL MVP, who also made sure to congratulate Belen for winning the Ms. Volleyball Award — an award she won thrice in the past — from the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
Belen is currently the league’s hottest player, lighting up the court with an average of 26.5 points per game. She also recently shattered her PVL career-high with a 29-point explosion in Capital1’s thrilling five-set win over Choco Mucho last Tuesday.
But more than her on-court brilliance, Valdez said she feels most excited to face the three-time UAAP MVP because of the rookie’s character and grit, which have shone through in the Solar Spikers’ first four games of the tournament.
“More than her skills, I actually admire her character, personality on and off the court, talagang never say die, nandoon ‘yung grit, ‘yung disiplina. I can’t wait for her to blossom to be someone na mas idolohin pa ng maraming kabataan,” said Valdez, a three-time league MVP.
“But our game this Saturday, very excited and looking forward na sana mabigyan namin siya ng magandang laban,” she added.
For her part, the former National University star said she’s eager to test herself — and her team — against a powerhouse Creamline squad, seeing the matchup as an opportunity to rise to the challenge and see what they are capable of.
“Siyempre, very excited kasi gusto ko ring makita kung paano magpe-perform ‘yung team sa isang champion team like Creamline kasi hindi basta-basta kalaban ‘yung Creamline. Meron silang sistemang nabuo, meron na silang sistema, kumbaga,” said the top overall pick of the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.
Belen said she is also looking forward to facing her former college teammates, Sheena Toring and Jen Nierva, and coach Sherwin Meneses, adding that it will be a special experience to go up against familiar faces on the court
“And I’m very excited din na makatapat ‘yung former teammate ko and former coach ko, so ‘yun, I’m very excited po talaga sa Saturday.”
