Creamline defensive ace Kyla Atienza spent the early part of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on the sidelines, recovering from a ligament tear in her left elbow.
The injury, which did not require surgery, forced the former Best Libero to step back and let her body heal.
“Last year pa po, nung last conference, parang nagka-tear sa ligaments, parang kailangan lang i-rest. Wala naman pong opera,” Atienza said.
She noted that the presence of a stacked defensive unit allowed her to focus on recovery without worrying about leaving the team shorthanded.
During the offseason, the team added Jen Nierva and continued to rely on Denden Lazaro-Revilla, Aleiah Torres, and Ella De Jesus — who plays both as a service specialist and libero — while Atienza concentrated on getting back to full shape.
(C) PVL Images
“Sobrang laking bagay po sa akin kasi hindi po ako nagmadali na mag-recover, so talagang naibigay po ng katawan ko ang chance para mag-heal yung injury ko. Sobrang thankful po ako sa mga kasama ko,” she added.
The 28-year-old pride of San Pedro, Laguna made her much-anticipated return on Tuesday night, suiting up in the Cool Smashers’ 25-14, 17-25, 25-18, 25-23 victory over Galeries Tower for their fourth consecutive win in the tournament.
Atienza admitted that returning to action following the layoff was a bit nerve-wracking.
“Nung una po, medyo kinakabahan pa at medyo nangangapa pa po. Pero dahil nga sa coaches and teammates ko na lagi namang nakasuporta, medyo nakabalik din,” she said.
But her performance upon returning showed she had fully regained her form, helping stabilize Creamline’s backcourt and contributing 11 excellent digs in the team’s win over the gutsy Highrisers.
Sharing libero duties with Nierva, Atienza tallied 11 excellent digs in her first game back in months.
She credited the team’s support for helping her adjust back into game mode.
“As in, naniwala lang din po kami sa system ng mga coaches. Kahit ano mangyari sa loob, basta nandiyan naman po yung isa’t isa para magsaluhan.”
