Creamline team captain Alyssa Valdez was left in awe of the overwhelming support from Ilocano fans during the PVL On Tour stop at the Chavit Coliseum.
A total of 5,569 fans packed the venue to witness the Cool Smashers’ dominant 25-10, 25-21, 25-10 opening-day win over Capital1. The following evening, 4,996 spectators braved the rain and Monday traffic to watch Creamline grind out a four-set victory against Akari, 27-25, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18, to close out their Vigan campaign.
“Oh yeah, it’s a Monday crowd. Alam mo, it’s very overwhelming at the end of the day, na hanggang ngayon... Simula day one hanggang after how many years, mga eight years na ata na naglalaro ako sa Creamline — ganito pa rin kainit ‘yung pagmamahal ng bawat Pilipino and bawat volleyball fan sa buong Pilipinas,” said Valdez.
The three-time conference MVP made sure the fans got their money’s worth. Valdez was in stellar form across both matches, leading Creamline to back-to-back wins that propelled them into a tie with Cignal for the top spot in Pool B.
She contributed nine points, six excellent digs, and five excellent receptions in their opener against the Solar Spikers, then followed it up with a strong double-double performance of 16 points and 18 excellent receptions in their hard-earned win over the Chargers.
“Siguro na-apply namin ‘yung tine-training namin for the past three weeks. And ‘yun nga, as I’ve said a while ago, hopefully ito lang ‘yung start and marami pa kaming mai-improve sa'min. Maraming bago, so sana mas marami pang mga bago and mas aabangan sa'min ‘yung mga teams,” the 31-year-old outside hitter added.
Beyond the wins, Valdez emphasized the importance of the PVL On Tour in strengthening the connection between the league and its fans, especially those from provinces who rarely get to watch professional volleyball live.
“I think it’s one way of giving back to the fans, because at the end of the day, we want to — siyempre — give back and give thanks to them, kasi isa rin sila sa mga tumutulong sa'tin to keep the sport growing din in our country,” she said.
Valdez also cherished the opportunity to reconnect with local culture and explore Vigan, noting how these provincial stops offer more than just volleyball.
“And it’s one way of reconnecting also to our roots. I mean, it’s my first time here in Vigan, and it’s so nice to see the culture, tasting all the local food here. So I’m just very, very happy and sana magtuloy-tuloy, and sana mas marami pa pong sumuporta sa bawat team sa PVL,” she said.
Despite the persistent rain and cool weather over the two-day event, the energy inside the Chavit Coliseum never dipped. Fans kept the atmosphere electric with their cheers, making the venue feel warm and alive — a sentiment not lost on Valdez.
“So, maraming maraming salamat po. And now we’re here in Vigan — napakainit. Maulan po dito sa Vigan, maulan po, pero napakainit po ng pagtanggap nila sa'min dito sa Vigan,” she said.
