NEW faces have been quite the rarity for Creamline over the last few years of its run of dominance in the PVL.
Unlike the first PVL Draft in 2024, the Cool Smashers added two new players to their championship core this year in middle blockers Sheena Toring from National University and Nica Celis from the University of the Philippines.
READ: Creamline dominates Capital1 in de Brito's PVL on Tour debut
For a team that rarely does transfers and free agent signings, Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez welcomes the facelift for her veteran squad.
And with the 5-foot-10 rookie duo, having a pair of skilled learners is what makes both Toring and Celis strong fits for the 10-time PVL champions, she said.
“[They’re] coming from good universities in terms of programs nila in sports kaya nakakatuwa na these two girls are very willing to listen and to learn,” Valdez said.
“It's one of the best qualities you want if you're coming into a team setup.”
With Toring, who had five points as a starter in her PVL debut in Creamline’s 25-10, 25-21, 25-10 sweep of Capital1, Valdez was impressed by her humility despite hailing from a UAAP powerhouse.
"Alam mo, napakabait 'nung dalawang bata. It doesn't seem like they came from, most especially Sheena, from a winning team in the UAAP,” Valdez said.
“Talagang she's a hard worker.”
Celis might not have had the same success in her UAAP career with the Fighting Maroons, but the desire to prove her worth and place in a champion team like Creamline was strongly felt by Valdez the moment she first trained with the team.
“On the other side, si Nica naman, always, alam mo, ready for all the feedback that we're trying to tell her,” Valdez added.
“There’s really a bright future for these two and hopefully, marami talaga silang ma-contribute pa sa team.”
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.
