By NIKOLE JAVIER
For setter Kyle Negrito, Creamline’s latest success in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) last week was one of the best things that happened to her career this year.
She has been part of the team’s victorious campaigns since 2019, but this one stood out as the sweetest thus far.
“Ilang taon na rin naman ako sa Creamline, so mas masaya. Parang mas personally, ramdam ko ‘yung championship na to kasi andoon ako,” said Negrito, who was thrust into the limelight following the exit of setter par excellence Jia Morado.
Like a maestro to an orchestra, the 5-foot-8 Negrito was brilliant in running the team’s offense, making life easy for big hitters like Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao and skipper Alyssa Valdez.
At first, the transition was not easy because the hole left by Morado was quite big having named best setter of the league eight times.
But once she got used into it, her confidence likewise soared so she was able to dish out one big game after another to the delight of the team’s ever growing supporters.
By helping lead the Cool Smashers to a perfect championship run – winning all their 15 games – they were able to cement their as the most successful squad of their era.
Morado departed from the team to play with Denso Airybees in Japan last August, so Negrito was left to run the show.
“Hindi rin naman naging madali ‘yung process pero we made it. Sobrang saya ko rin talaga kasi ‘yung team ko grabe rin ‘yung patience, talagang nagtiyaga kami at
trinabaho namin.”
Both veteran spiker Jema Galanza and coach Sherwin Meneses were happy Negrito handled the pressure very well.
Apart from Negrito, Jeanette Panaga also rose to the occasion as she filled the vacuum created by the departure of Ced Domingo.
“Gusto ko lang sabihin kay Kyle and kay (Jeanette) Pangs, isa to sa lahat ng nag-step up. Kasi ang hirap nung trabaho na ginagawa nila at ‘yung pressure na dinadala nila. Pero ito dinala rin nila kami sa goal na gusto namin. Sana marami pang championship na magkakasama tayo at walang iwanan. Sana this season marami kaming natutunan at mag-grow pa,” Galanza said.
“Hindi ko nga gets ‘yung sinasabi nilang malalim ‘yung bench namin. Lalo na nung mga previous conferences kasi ‘yun din naman ‘yung naglaro minus two. Ngayon okay ‘yung team pero ast conference talaga mas malalim. Kasi same lineup plus two, so ‘yun ‘yung point namin na kahit may nawala, may mase-step up. Every training napaka-competitive kahit sila lang,” said Meneses.
Now given the time to showcase her full playmaking skills in the MVP-loaded squad, Negrito is expected to reach her peak form come the next season.
