CREAMLINE is keeping its fingers crossed on the fitness of Alyssa Valdez after she left its game against KingWhale Taipei early on Friday.
Valdez sustained a sprained ankle after she landed awkwardly following a block attempt late in the third set. She was helped off the court and never returned as the Cool Smashers lost a five-setter to the PVL Invitational Conference guest team.
Valdez finished with 11 points in three sets and her status remains uncertain heading to the one-game finale against the foreign guest team on Sunday at the MOA Arena.
LOOK:
But the Cool Smashers assured their skipper is doing well.
“Hindi naman din sobrang malala yung naging injury niya sa paa and she said naman she’s okay at nakakalakad naman,” said Michelle Gumabao, who finished with 11 points off the bench in a losing effort.
With their team captain out of the game, the Cool Smashers dug deep into their deep bench and their second stringer responded by going on a fourth-set comeback to force a decider against the Taiwanese club, 26-24.
“Lahat din kaming second six pagpasok sa loob at least we also got to perform kung ano yung tine-training namin, yung everyday na paghihirap sa ensayo kasi kami kalaban namin Creamline first six eh,” she said.
Creamline was also without Jema Galanza due to an index finger injury, but Gumabao believes they are capable of fielding a full-strength line up against the Taiwanese club in the gold-medal match on Sunday.
“We had a couple of players who weren’t able to practice this week coming off injuries,” she said. "We’re really confident coming this Sunday against them. Hopefully lahat ng first six namin will be in best shape.”
As for their team captain, Gumabao hopes Valdez will return to action just in time to claim Creamline’s first-ever Premier Volleyball League Invitational trophy.
"We’re just really praying na bukas it will be better and mailakad niya. We’re looking forward na makalaro siya this Sunday and hopefully hindi ganon ka serious yung ankle sprain niya,” she said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
