BACARRA, ILOCOS NORTE — Buding Duremdes bounced back with better floor defense to help Chery Tiggo in forcing a winner-take-all Game Three against Creamline in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference.
Crossovers head coach Aaron Velez rued their poor floor defense in Game One as they started lethargic and lost steam in the fifth set, allowing the Cool Smashers to inch closer to a "three-peat" last Wednesday.
Buding bounces back
With their backs against the wall, the 5-foot-2 libero stepped up when it mattered most, giving the Crossovers a better transition on offense with 16-of-31 in digs and 16-of-30 excellent receptions.
“Siyempre kailangan ako ng team, kailangan ko dumepensa, kailangan ko rumeceive,” said Duremdes.
The Far Eastern University standout admitted that it’s hard to stop Creamline’s firepower led by the trio of Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, and Tots Carlos.
“Kasi siyempre aaminin natin sobrang lakas talaga nila, sobrang lakas din yung palo nila. Kailangan ko lang gawin yung role ko inside the court, dumepensa at saka rumeceive,” she said.
The motivational words and messages from the Crossovers, her family and former teammates from the disbanded Petron fueled Duremdes’ desire to prove her worth.
“Thankful ako sa lahat ng nagmemessage na: ‘Gawin mo kung ano ka at saka kung ano yung mga nalalaman mo. Lahat i-all out mo na,’” she said.
Chery Tiggo needs another tremendous net and floor defense as it battles Creamline for the title in a do-or-die Game 3 on Friday at 3 pm.
Duremdes has one promise: “Siguro gawa na lang kami.”
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.
