The Phenom made a great case for the other standout outside spiker.
Alyssa Valdez’s comeback in the PVL Invitational Conference may have been bittersweet. After recovering from a serious knee injury, she was able to play like her old high-flying self for the majority of the tournament. But in the winner-take-all finals against Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze, the Creamline Cool Smashers ace got hurt and did not see action in the last two frames of the five-set thriller.
Despite the injury setback and failure to defend their title, Valdez’s campaign the entire tourney was good enough for her to be named Best Outside Spiker of the conference along with Kurashiki’s Tamaru Asaka. During the postgame presser of the championship match, the Phenom got emotional as she talked about receiving the award at this point in her career.
“I didn’t really expect na makakuha ako ng award,” Valdez, with her voice cracking, said before reporters on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
“It was really because of my teammates. Grabe support nila. I think I wouldn’t be able to overcome these challenges if not for them, my coaches. So, it’s really for everyone,” she added.
While the decorated spiker was quick to deflect the credit, she considered the award to be a source of motivation moving forward.
“Wala talaga sa expectation na makakuha ng award but I’m grateful. More reasons, more inspiration to be good for the next conference pero it’s really because of them kaya ko nakuha ‘yon,” Valdez stressed.
Finally, the seven-time PVL Best Outside Spiker awardee felt the need to mention her teammate Jema Galanza whom she felt was deserving of the recognition just as much as anyone else.
“Jema also, she played really well this conference, from offense [to] defense, everything. I’ve seen her mature also, so Jema deserves [it] as well, the best outside hitter,” the PVL superstar explained.
(GM)