Alyssa Valdez has inched closer to ending her title drought.
The Creamline star led the Cool Smashers to a 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-19 win over PayMaya in Game One of the best-of-three Finals series of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference on Sunday at the MOA Arena.
It has been three long years since Valdez steered Ateneo to its back-to-back championship in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament, incidentally on the same venue.
“Its always good to be back naman sa place na siyempre first-ever championship rin namin dito eh, ng Ateneo sa MOA,” she said.
“So iba rin ang feels din na babalik at babalikan mo sa unang venue yung Arena na nakakuha ka ng gold,” she added.
After her UAAP championship, she won a title in the 2015 Shakey’s V-League Reinforced Conference with an all-star PLDT team that also included Jaja and Dindin Santiago, Grethcel Soltones and Denden Lazaro.
Since then, however, Valdez, who later suited up for Bureau of Customs, could only finish runner-up to a Myla Pablo-led Pocari Sweat in the Shakey’s V-League Reinforced Conference.
But on Wednesday, the former three-time MVP can finally celebrate as a champion again if they pull off a sweep.
“Iba ‘yung napaparamdam sa akin, malapit sa puso ko itong MOA Arena ever since,” she said.
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