The path back to the top was also a time of reflection for Creamline and longtime team captain Alyssa Valdez.
In the eyes of Alyssa Valdez, the Creamline Cool Smashers’ path to reclaiming the Premier Volleyball League championship goes deeper than winning their 11th league title — it was a reintroduction that taught them invaluable lessons too.
As the longtime captain puts it, the league darlings “redefined” themselves in their 2026 All-Filipino Conference run, where they dispatched the Cignal Super Spikers to complete their quest for redemption.
“I’m very, very grateful for this conference. We actually redefined and siguro found ourselves in this conference. Mas nakilala namin [ang isa’t isa] and mas nagkakilanlan din kami, and ang saya din kasi first time din ulit na kumpleto kami,” she said.
Creamline last Thursday closed out the Cignal Super Spikers in five grueling sets — a stark contrast to their clinical Game 1 sweep. The path to the finals wasn’t any easier, with the Cool Smashers needing to play two do-or-die games to set up their clash against the Super Spikers.
For Valdez, it’s a full circle moment, one that reminds her and Creamline of their first PVL title back in the 2021 Open Conference.
“Honestly, parang bumalik kami sa first-ever championship, kasi siyempre ang hirap din. Ang tagal din naming hindi nakuha ‘yung championship,” reflected Valdez, with Creamline last winning it all during the 2024 Invitational Conference.
“Parang ‘yung minindset namin is sana makilala namin ‘yung sarili namin, and two, sana mabalik lang namin ‘yung joy sa paglalaro.”
On the other hand, this year’s title romp also highlighted Creamline’s maturity, according to the captain.
“Kasi throughout the conference, as in ang daming struggles! Pero because we’re all veterans din, I think napag-usapan din talaga nang mabuti kung ano ‘yung kailangan gawin,” Valdez said.
“Very matured din, from the coaches down to our staff talaga nag-contribute. Sabi nga namin, ‘yung finals namin hindi lang dito sa court or sa Araneta. It started in our practice, so lahat talaga nagtrabaho.”
Nothing to prove
And while all eyes are on Creamline’s return to the mountaintop, the All-Filipino Conference is also a reflection of Valdez’s newfound role. She’s no longer the main gunner that wills her team to victory. These days, she’s become a stabilizer for the league darlings, being the veteran that punches in timely points or crucial serves.
It’s something that Alyssa Valdez has embraced fully. Look no further than Game 3, where her hard serve set up Tots Carlos’ championship-winning block against Vanie Gandler. After all, at this point in her career, there’s nothing left to prove for the Phenom.
“I just really wanna enjoy playing volleyball,” she said.
“At this point in my career, I wanna prove not to other people, but to myself that I’m here because I still want it and I still have it, so ‘yun lang siguro ‘yung [motivation] ko.”
These days, Alyssa Valdez may be more of a spectator off the bench — one who watches on as the likes of Bernadeth Pons and Jema Galanza carry the load for the Cool Smashers. Still, that’s not to say that the Phenom is going away anytime soon.
“Other than that, I’m just very, very happy for my teammates, sa lahat ng nagsstep up, and sa bawat isang part ng Creamline Cool Smashers.”
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.
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