EVEN THOUGH they're now on the opposite sides of the court, Alyssa Valdez still can't help but notice the way Denden Lazaro-Revilla plays: with consistency.
The two faced each other as Creamline handed down Choco Mucho its first loss of the conference, 18-25, 25-9, 21-25, 25-18, 15-6, on Wednesday night.
The win earned the Cool Smashers a ticket to the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference.
As Valdez unleashed 22 points to lead Creamline, she could not ignore the huge effort from the other side of the net — especially from her former Ateneo teammate.
High praise from Alyssa Valdez
"Den's very steady, very stable libero talaga. Isa din siya sa nagle-lead sa Choco Mucho lalo na sa floor defense. That's why, we commend talaga and hands down kami kay Den," she told the media after the match.
It was the first time in a long while since they last played against each other. But Valdez had an eye on Lazaro's game from the get-go.
She added: "Alam niyo naman si Den, kahit may blockers, 'pag dating sa likod, alam mong kukuhanin pa rin niya."
High praise from a longtime comrade in the sport.
Back in UAAP season 76 and 77, the two formed a tandem that won back-to-back titles for Ateneo.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph