Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

News

Alyssa Valdez on clutch teammate: ‘Sino bang hindi nagtitiwala kay Jia Morado’


The Creamline Cool Smashers were down 12-14 in the fifth set against Pocari Sweat-Air Force. After letting a 2-0 sets lead slip away, other teams would have crumbled.

But Creamline have a particular set of stars who have built up solid trust over the years.

It was Alyssa Valdez, the four-time PVL MVP, who struck the first point off a combination play. After Wendy Semana gave up a net touch, Jia Morado took her turn coming in clutch.

Displaying her signature cold demeanor, the National Team setter calmly sunk back-to-back aces to close the match and gave Creamline their fourth win in five outings.

Having developed their connection since their days as two-time UAAP champions at Ateneo, Valdez knew Morado would not let their team down.

“Jia is really a reliable server talaga kahit saan naman, kahit mag-spike ata kaya niya. Pero we know na veteran na rin si Jia sa dami na rin ng pinagdaanan niyang five-setter games so alam na niya ‘yung gagawin niya,” said Valdez, who finished with 22 points.

“And sino bang hindi nagtitiwala kay Jia Morado? ‘Yun lang ‘yun. Even si coach Tai (Bundit) kahit sabihan niya na ito na ‘yung play, maniniwala si coach Tai sa kanya.”

In that situation, Morado insisted that she had to take a risk as her team was already on the brink of losing.

“Siyempre they were leading eh, so if ‘yung server easy lang ‘yung ibibigay, it’s like we give the game na,” said the two-time PVL Best Setter.

“So high risk, high reward din kasi ‘yung service sa ganoong crucial na moments so thankfully, high reward naman yung nakuha namin sa hard serves ko nung dulo.”

After letting a 2-0 lead dissipate and trailing for much of the decider, Morado is hopeful that her team learned a lesson.

“Siguro hindi natatapos yung game hangga’t ‘di umaabot sa fifteen or twenty-five. So, we just have to regroup doon sa fifth set and remind ourselves na five points lang ‘yan kaya ‘yan habulin. Hindi naman ‘yun imposible we just have to take it one point at a time and not let it get to our heads din.”

#ReadMore  Foton rumbles into Finals, sends RC Cola-Army packing
Written By

Miguel Luis Flores fell face first into sports writing in high sch9l and has never gotten up. He reluctantly stumbled into the volleyball beat when he started with Tiebreaker Times three years ago. Now, he has waded through everything volleyball - from its icky politics to the post-modern art that is Jia Morado's setting.


You May Also Like

News

SANTA ROSA — Creamline team captain Alyssa Valdez believes that their first loss in almost eight months is exactly what the Cool Smashers needed...

News

SANTA ROSA — As Eya Laure walked out of Chery Tiggo’s dugout in the Santa Rosa Sports Complex, she and the rest of the...

News

SANTA ROSA — Coming off a two-game losing skid, Chery Tiggo bounced back in the biggest of ways against defending champion Creamline. The Crossovers...

News

Creamline made quick work of Strong Group, 25-13, 25-13, 25-19, to take the solo lead in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, Tuesday...

News

With the 2023-24 season of the V.League officially over, there are speculations about whether Jaja Santiago and Jia De Guzman could return and play...

News

Creamline dispatched Galeries Tower in straight sets, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15, to extend its winning streak to 18 games, Thursday in the 2024 Premier Volleyball...

News

Denden Revilla and Bea De Leon expressed gratitude to Creamline’s fans for welcoming them with open arms during their much-anticipated debut against Akari in...

News

Tots Carlos is quickly shifting her focus to Creamline’s next assignments following her career-best performance in the Cool Smashers’ closely contested four-set victory over...

Advertisement