By NIKOLE JAVIER
Volleyball fans are now happy and satisfied their idol – Alyssa Valdez – was finally given the chance to play – albeit sparingly.
She played not long enough but it was Valdez who hammered he final nail as Team Philippines scored a quick 25-17, 25-14, 25 win over Singapore to advance to the semifinals of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games on Thursday, May 11, at the Indoor Olympic Stadium in Cambodia.
The game was the first for Valdez since sustaining a knee injury in December and her lone point for the game proved that she’s back and ready to provide firepower the next time.
Valdez missed out on the the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference to recover from the injury and didn’t play in the team’s first two matches.
After coming off a straight-set beating at the hands of Vietnam a day prior, the Nationals played with a sense of urgency and the result was a testament to that.
Meanwhile, Thailand and Indonesia are now through the next round after a 1-2 finish in Group A.
Vietnam and Philippines will now face Thailand and Indonesia, respectively, in the crossover semifinals to determine who will emerge victorious for the finals showdown.
The Philippines hasn’t stepped foot on the podium in 18 years and has settled for fourth place in the past three editions.
