FROM one ‘Phenom’ to another, Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez made sure to have Marck Espejo and sibling team Criss Cross’ backs as they fought for survival in Game Two of the 2025 Spikers' Turf Open Conference finals.
READ: Alyssa Valdez eyes proper ending to comeback story with Creamline
It was a battle that went the distance and was ultimately won by a King Crunchers side that averted what would’ve been a title-clinching reverse sweep from eight-time champion Cignal.
In five sets, 25-20, 25-15, 18-25, 22-25, 15-12, Criss Cross lived to fight another day for a shot at a maiden championship win in the three conferences it has played so far.
There, Espejo’s two-set, four-point cameo in the endgame gave the King Crunchers a much-needed boost to save their title aspirations against the eight-time champions.
And with the 10-time PVL champions in full force right behind their team bench, led by Valdez as the concurrent Spikers' Turf president, the orange shirts got the fuel they needed to keep themselves alive.
“Yung pag-cheer nila (Creamline) sa likod namin sa bench nung nasa labas ako, sobrang nakaka-lift sila ng morale,” Espejo said.
“Kumbaga, kung tahimik kami sa labas, sa bench, ‘pag naririnig namin sila, napapaingay din kami. Parang domino effect ba. Yung energy nila, nata-transfer din sa’min.”
One 'phenomenal' pep talk
A pre-game pep talk from Valdez on the eve of Espejo & Co.’s penultimate battle gave a timely boost to an embattled King Crunchers en route to forcing a winner-take-all rubber match for what could be the year-old team's first league championship.
“Last night, pumunta sa room namin sila Alyssa [Valdez]. Kinausap kami, binigyan kami ng mga motivational wisdom. From du’n, nakakuha kami ng morale,” said Espejo on the support he received from her fellow Ateneo great.
“Mas tumaas pa yung feeling namin na para sa’min talaga ‘tong [conference] na ‘to.”
And in true 'Phenom' fashion, Espejo's ready to give it everything he's got to win Criss Cross an elusive Spikers' Turf title just weeks since returning from his Japan SV.League stint.
"Masaya pero yun nga, 'di rin siya masaya, yung pagbabalik ko, kasi grabe yung load sa training," Espejo said in jest.
"Grabe yung load ng training, reps, and jumps. Sobrang iba sa ginagawa ko sa Japan. Pero sabi ko, last week na ‘to. Kahit anong mangyari, ipu-push ko yung sarili ko. Kahit na mapagod, pwede magpahinga pero tutulong at tutulong ako kung anong role ibibigay sa’kin ng coaches."
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