By NIKOLE JAVIER
Alyssa Valdez tallied her first double-digit outing since returning from a knee injury as defending champion Creamline secured a semifinals berth after a 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 sweep of PLDT in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference on Thursday, July 13, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
With the win, Creamline became the first team to advance to the next round, where it is set to face two visiting foreign club teams in the round-robin semifinals.
Creamline skipper Valdez had 11 points on top of eight excellent digs – numbers that speak of her determination to regain her deadly form.
For the third consecutive game, though, it was Tots Carlos who topscored for the Cool Smashers with 22 points on 17 attacks, two blocks and three service aces while Jema Galanza added 12 points.
Mean Mendrez was the lone bright spot for the High Speed Hitters with 10 points as they absorbed an even 1-1 record in the standings.
PLDT actually fought back to within, 21-23, but Carlos was in no mood to giving the High Speed Hitters any chances for a comeback, firing away a crosscourt kill and then digging a PLDT spike and quickly picking herself up and converting it to another hit to wrap up the one-hour, 37-minute contest.
“We didn’t expect to score a sweep pero naglaro lahat ng maayos kaya ganun ang resulta,” said Galanza, who spearhead the team’s third set assault with her stinging hits.
They will try to complete a 4-game sweep against Akari on Saturday.
