For the first time in months, the Creamline Cool Smashers tasted defeat—but for team captain Alyssa Valdez, it was exactly what they needed.
Rather than dwelling on their five-set heartbreak against PLDT, Valdez embraced the setback as a "good loss," a crucial reminder that could sharpen their edge heading into the business end of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
"Honestly, I think we’ve been through different losses na rin naman throughout conferences. But that was actually something na masasabi namin na at the end of the day, wake-up call talaga," Valdez shared after leading the team to a bounce-back victory against Galeries Tower on Thursday.
Before their loss, Creamline looked poised to sweep the preliminary round, winning nine straight matches. But PLDT had other plans, stunning the defending champions with a hard-fought 28-30, 21-25, 25-23, 25-18, 14-16 victory at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The defeat ended Creamline’s dominant 19-game winning streak—a stretch that spanned six months and three conferences.
Despite the setback, Valdez remained unfazed, seeing it as an opportunity to reassess and improve.
"But we were humbled by that loss at the end of the day, so we worked hard the next day and made sure na gagawin namin ‘yung trabaho namin and roles namin," she said. "So with that loss siguro, we would say na we have so much things, so many things to improve on pa as a team. It was a good loss for us, if that makes sense."
True to their captain’s words, the Cool Smashers responded with an emphatic statement, overpowering Galeries Tower with a dominant 25-15, 26-24, 25-19 victory at the Philsports Arena. The win not only secured them the top seed in the preliminaries but also proved that Creamline was ready to turn their stumble into fuel for their championship aspirations.
Valdez, who played only two sets against PLDT, was back in peak form, delivering an all-around performance of 16 points, seven excellent digs, and seven excellent receptions. She credited her defensive improvements to head coach Sherwin Meneses, who had been pushing her hard in training.
"Well, I would say siguro how hard it was. Binibigyan na ako ng mga tips ni coach Sherwin. Ganun na siya nase-stress sa'kin. Lagi akong target sa training, lahat. So honestly, ‘yun ‘yung isa sa mga important things na kung nag-improve ‘man ako sa digs and service at receive ko, it was because of coach Sherwin. Minor details, he actually tells me, and it actually works," Valdez shared.
She also acknowledged her teammates for keeping her on her toes in practice, saying their constant targeting of her in drills had been a major factor in her growth.
"It helped me improve my game, so thank you, coach Sherwin. I’m just really happy na kahit papaano, nadadala ko rin siya sa game. So thank you, thank you, Lord. Alam mo talagang inspiration ko ‘yung mga teammates ko kasi lagi nila akong tina-target sa practices, every single day. So maraming salamat sa effort ng teammates ko and for being patient."
Now heading into the qualifying round, where they will face the lowest-ranked team from the prelims, Valdez emphasized the importance of staying locked in, taking things one game at a time while ensuring they continue refining their system and discipline.
"We’ll take it one game at a time. Definitely, I think one of the skills na na-improve ng halos lahat would be the system and the blocking eh. I guess we’re gonna work on our counter-attacks pa rin and basics, disiplina most definitely sa sistema namin."
With the pressure mounting and the competition heating up, Valdez and the Cool Smashers know that every detail matters. From free balls to defensive schemes, they aim to perfect the little things that could make the difference when it matters most.
"So may mga sistema kami na kailangan pa rin naming ma-perfect. Basics, kapag free ball, ‘pag mahihinang bola, at the end of the day kailangan namin siyang kahit papaano ma-perfect din. ‘Yun ‘yung mga minor details that will help us in the end of the game, and ‘yun ‘yung magma-matter lalo na kapag dikitan. So we’ll work on counter-attacks and basic balls."
