ILAGAN — It isn’t stressed enough how much provincial games of the country’s metro-centric major pro leagues mean to sports fans who live miles away from Manila.
READ Creamline hardly breaks a sweat in sweep of Galeries Tower
So when the PVL brought the league back to Isabela for only the second time ever, it was a golden opportunity Ilagueños and Isabeleños weren't about to miss.
Standing out with their Creamline kits in a 6,491-strong crowd at the Capital Arena on Saturday were the Isabela-bred Pascual siblings-slash-Cool Smashers superfans.
Katrina, Kelly and Kathleen made the close to two-hour, 62-kilometer drive from their hometown of San Mariano to Ilagan to witness a PVL game for the first time.
It was a worthwhile trip to see their favorites Alyssa Valdez and Lorie Bernardo play live and in the flesh.
But the one player who they particularly wished to watch for the first time in a dayoff they won't ever forget was their ‘klasmeyt’ and Adamson alumna Jema Galanza.
While the Lady Falcon great has been ruled out of the Reinforced Conference with a left foot injury, just to be in her presence was more than a dream come true in itself.
“Klasmeyt, pagaling ka sa injury mo. Sana sa next season, makapaglaro ka na,” Katrina shared with SPIN.ph at the sidelines of Creamline’s 25-9, 25-11, 25-15 sweep of Galeries Tower to close out the conference’s Ilagan stop.
“Sa buong Creamline, sana magpatuloy pa ‘yung magandang laro niyo at sa mga susunod pang mga seasons, lagi kayong mag-champion. Good health always, iwasan ang injury.”
All three Pascual sisters were Adamson graduates and were still pharmacy majors in San Marcelino when Galanza was still taking flight in the UAAP.
But beyond being a typical sports fan experience, it was a much-needed break from their hectic day jobs as pharmacists.
From giving Isabeleños the medications and care they need, it was time for them to be the ones taken care of as diehard Creamline fans and volleyball enthusiasts.
“Nagulat ako na nandito sa Isabela gaganapin ‘yung PVL. Sinabi ko agad sa sister ko na, ‘Ate, maglalaro ‘yung Creamline dito sa Isabela so gusto kong bumili ng ticket.’ Sila ‘yung gumawa ng paraan para makabili kami,” Katrina said.
“Napakalaking halaga po nito sa’min kasi instead na pupunta pa kami ng Maynila kasi sobrang busy ng work namin, ‘yung ganitong sitwasyon namin is mas magandang pumupunta sila sa’min dito to visit.
“‘Pag Manila to Isabela kasi, ang tagal ng biyahe, 12 hours, o sabihin mong 10 [hours] kapag meron kang sasakyan, so sobrang hassle pa ‘pag luluwas kami ng Maynila kaya ‘yung pagkakataong ito is sobrang nakaka-overwhelm sa amin.”
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