Mylene Paat has finally made her mark for Chery Tiggo in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
The left-handed opposite spiker showcased her skills by unleashing an impressive 15 points, consisting of 10 attacks, four blocks, and one ace.
Her exceptional performance played a pivotal role in leading the Crossovers to a commanding 25-19, 25-20, 25-18 victory over Gerflor on Thursday morning.
This game proved to be a breakout moment for Paat in the conference, as she had been limited to just nine points against Creamline and 11 points in Chery Tiggo’s hard-fought five-set win over Akari.
Adjusting to her new role as a leader, both on and off the court, has been a challenge for Paat since the arrival of five highly-touted rookies in the Crossovers’ camp just a month ago.
Among these rookies are Eya Laure and Imee Hernandez from University of Santo Tomas, as well as Jen Nierva, Cess Robles, and Joyme Cagande from National University, all of whom joined Chery Tiggo after the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.
“Actually, yun nga rin kailangan talaga namin ng chemistry sa loob ng court especially ako para sa mga bata,” said the 29-year-old former league MVP, whose fiance Sergey Rezanov was watching the game.
“Yung pinapagawa sa akin ng coaches (sa training) is like nagooverload talaga ako. Kailangan ko ng overload, kailangan ko ng more touches sa bola and more communication nga sabi ni coach para lumabas yung chemistry namin sa loob ng court.”
Chery Tiggo head coach Aaron Velez echoed Paat’s sentiments about the importance of reinforcing team chemistry, especially considering the conference’s short duration.
Velez also emphasized the need for Paat to continue being vocal on the court, as the rookies look up to her leadership.
“Sabi ko nga it’s always a process. Now that Mylene is taking charge also not only sa paglalaro but also leading the team,” said Velez.
“Alam naman namin yung weight sa kanya na binibigay, good thing lang sa kanya sabi ko huwag kang titigil kasi every time na huminto tayo, mabibreak kaagad yung communication eh yung mga rookies naman tumitingin sila nang mataas kay Mylene,” he continued.
“I think yung kay Mylene she has to unleash also yung confidence niya and never ever doubt her capacity.”
Velez had the opportunity to field all 14 of his players against the Defenders, hoping to expedite their cohesion with just one game remaining in Pool A.
With a 2-1 record, the Crossovers are set to face PLDT on Tuesday, aiming to secure a spot in the round-robin semifinals.
“I like the fact that everybody was able to step inside the court. Kailangan namin work out pa yung chemistry namin, yung communication namin dapat mas maging smooth in preparation for our next match,” Velez said.
As Chery Tiggo strives to solidify their chemistry and synchronize their gameplay, their upcoming matches promise to be intense battles as they pursue success in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
