She helped Creamline dismantle Choco Mucho on Sunday.
Kyle Negrito couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief after helping the Creamline Cool Smashers hammer out a 25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 25-21 victory over Choco Mucho Flying Titans in their PVL Second All-Filipino Conference opener.
Now the Creamline main setter after Jia de Guzman’s departure, Negrito was coming in with a lot of pressure on her shoulders.
She delivered on Sunday.
The former FEU Lady Tamaraws setter turned in a commendable performance with 23 excellent sets to go with a pair of service aces.
“My team is very patient. ‘Yun lang po talaga. Tulad ng sinabi nila coach (Sherwin Meneses) kanina, itong season na ‘to magtutulungan at magtatrabaho kami every game at sa training,” she said after the match at the jampacked Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Negrito bared she had de Guzman, who is playing for the Denso Airybees in the Japan V.League, to thank for her performance.
“Si Ate Jia naman po bago siya umalis, pinrepare niya team nang maayos, hindi niya kami pinabayaan,” she said.
“Ako rin po pinrepare ako ni Ate Jia, heading into this game today. Sobrang kinakabahan ako. Pero syempre good nerves.”
Creamline star Alyssa Valdez was proud of Negrito and Bernadeth Pons, who also stepped up with 22 points and 11 excellent digs.
“I’m very proud kasi pag nakita niyo talaga sila practice, syempre the pressure, the responsibility is so big especially we’re the champions last All-Filipino, [so] gusto namin ipakita na OK kami this conference,” Valdez said.
Negrito is expected to play the way she did—or better—as the Cool Smashers will take on Cignal HD Spikers on Saturday in Batangas City.
(With reports from Meilin Lozada, One Sports Digital)
(CF)