For Bea de Leon, the end of Creamline's successful campaign in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference was both joyful and sad.
She had delivered the winning blow in the fifth set of the second game that earned her the first title of her volleyball career - a dream come true. But that it came at the expense of her former team Choco Mucho made her wish it would have been another team.
But she had been longing for a championship after being denied a few times while starring with the Flying Titans. She had been in two volleyball finals and lost both at the hands of her current team, which overall had beaten Choco Mucho 11 times.
Now that the wait is finally over, it was, in a sense, bittersweet.
READ: For Maddie, Choco Mucho gains can't ease the pain of another finals loss
But de Leon has learned to accept the facts of life and the win, that came from her firing the game-winner, before 26,162 screaming fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday, was something special as it was her first pro championship.
“Sobrang grateful ko lang na nakuha namin ‘to. It’s such a feat for me. It’s my first, so it’s really special for me,” de Leon said.
“Wala akong inisip (before scoring the game-winner). My mind was just focused on whatever was going to happen next. Sobrang bonus lang na nakuha ko ‘yung (last point),” she added.
Proud of the past, thankful for the present
Nearing half a year since her career-shifting move to join Creamline, de Leon shared how Choco Mucho will always have a special place in her heart as she settles in for good with the Cool Smashers.
“There’s a part of me that’s always rooting for (Choco Mucho) except, of course, for this game. Pero talagang sobrang proud ko sa narating na ng team. Malayo na,” said de Leon.
One conference down, BDL believes she’s now found a family that treats and feels like home.
“Yes, I’d like to think that (I’m at home with Creamline). They’ve been so welcoming to me. Talagang tinanggap nila ako and pinagkatiwalaan nila ako kaagad, so I’m just really thankful,” she added.
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