Many believe that the Filipino-Japanese is Creamline's lucky charm.
The heart-thumping five-set action between the Creamline Cool Smashers and the F2 Logistics Cargo Mover in the PVL Invitational Conference felt like a championship match.
The short round-robin format of the semifinals ups the stake. There's a sense of urgency. So expect games to be as intense, if not more. That was the case between the defending champions and the surging Cargo Movers.
Yet through the ruckus of the pressure-filled action, Creamline's Risa Sato never wavered. She was in fact the antithesis to what was a nerve-wracking match. The Filipino-Japanese shined at the moment and brought a sense of relief with her smile and dancing. Sato technically scored just four points, but her calming and steady presence on the service line transcends any stat line.
There are those who believe that Sato herself is the lucky charm of the PVL Open Conference champions.
That's proving to be true so far.