Tots Carlos has said it before and she will say it again now.
“Siyempre I’m really happy and grateful for my teammates and my coaches. Natulungan nila ako makamit ‘to,” said Carlos after winning her second consecutive Most Valuable Player in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
Moments after the Cool Smashers won their fifth title in the league, Carlos made sure to thank her teammates and coaches for trusting her and molding her to become the player that she is right now.
She finished with a game-high 14 points, 12 of which came from the attack line, to lead Creamline to a 25-21, 25-19, 25-8 win against KingWhale in the winner-take-all final of the Invitationals.
“Kasi for sure, like what I always say, hindi naman ako maggo-grow, hindi naman ako magiging… I can say mature enough to, you know, play in this kind of competition kundi dahil sa tiwala ng mga coaches and teammates ko so I’m really grateful,” said the former UP standout, who also won her second straight Best Opposite Spiker award under the Creamline franchise.
Carlos was the undisputed breakout star for Creamline this year, taking over the scoring reins from the likes of Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza.
The 24-year-old opposite spiker started her career as a Cool Smasher off the bench before eventually taking the starting gig in the 2021 Open Conference in the Ilocos Norte bubble where the team finished second to Chery Tiggo.
Then, in the following season, Carlos just popped off, leading Creamline to the 2022 Open Conference last May where she also won both the MVP and the Best Opposite Spiker awards.
Indeed, it has been quite a ride for the pride of Lubao, Pampanga. And she’ll never get tired of expressing her utmost gratitude to the team that treated her like one of their own.
“Honestly, hanggang ngayon, ‘di ako magsasawang sabihin na grateful ako na napunta ako sa Creamline kasi malaking bagay talaga sila sa growth ko and sa buhay ko pa nga actually kasi talagang pamilya yung turingan sa Creamline,” said Carlos.
“Kahit ano pang mangyari sa’yo, hinding hindi ka iiwan ng bawat isa.”
