Creamline’s system has made them multi-time champions in the Premier Volleyball League, but Alyssa Valdez shared that Tots Carlos’ absence was clearly felt on Tuesday evening.
The Cool Smashers finally lost to their sister team, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, after their 13th matchup, with scores of 25-13, 25-19, 21-25, 20-25, 16-18, inside a filled-to-the-brim Philsports Arena.
Carlos, a three-time Conference MVP and one-time Finals MVP, missed the first day of the semifinals of the All-Filipino Conference as she is in South Korea until Wednesday for the KOVO tryouts.
It is still unknown whether Carlos will be back for their Thursday game against Petro Gazz.
“We always train as a team naman and it’s always part of training na niro-rotate din kami lahat ni Coach Sherwin,” said Valdez, herself a former league MVP, after the match.
“I guess we miss Tots definitely but we run in a system kasi,” she stated.
“Kahit minsan may nawawala sa amin, minimake sure ni Coach Sherwin na talagang gagalaw kami in a certain way sa system namin.”
Many stepped up in the absence of Carlos, with Jema Galanza making 23 points, Valdez posting 21, Michele Gumabao tallying 18, and Jeanette Panaga adding 15 of her own.
But it was the Flying Titans who had the last laugh as they emerged victorious after a two-hour, 47-minute marathon battle.
For Valdez, she rued the lapses that caused them the game even after leading two sets to none, basically dominating Choco Mucho by a mile in the first two frames.
(C) Joaqui Flores/PVL
“I think breaks of the game din talaga. We can’t end with just two sets I think yun yung isa sa mga biggest lesson namin today,” said the decorated open spiker.
“We know naman Choco Mucho won’t go down without a fight so ayun, ganda nung laban it was really a good and entertaining fight, in the end kinapos kami ang dami rin naming lapses most especially the basic ones,” she continued.
“I think that’s what we’re focusing on in practice tomorrow.”
Rest would not be present for the four teams in the semifinals as games would be every two days with the one-day gap going to preparation for the next match.
