.
.
.
Full video:
Creamline praises ‘champion player’ Ella de Jesus for stepping up in PVL semis
Creamline reserve libero Ella de Jesus answers the call of duty in the heat of the PVL Invitational Conference semifinals, towing the Cool Smashers’ winning defense against the feisty Cignal HD Spikers
MANILA, Philippines – Be ready when your number is called.
No matter what team sport, that statement is always held to the utmost importance and drilled to every single player from top to bottom of every roster. Even a volleyball dynasty like the Creamline Cool Smashers, boasting a starting lineup almost exclusively filled by MVP-caliber stars, is no exception.
Bogged down with defensive woes against the Cignal HD Spikers in the ongoing 2023 PVL Invitational Conference semifinals, Creamline tapped team veteran Ella de Jesus as the main libero to close out the Saturday, July 22 match, replacing usual starter Kyla Atienza.
To head coach Sherwin Meneses’ delight, the rotation shift worked wonders as De Jesus and star spiker Jema Galanza worked in defensive harmony to tow the undefeated Cool Smashers to a nail-biting five-set win, their sixth straight for the conference.
“Of course, we’re very happy because Ella will always deliver. She’s a champion player,” Meneses said in Filipino after the game. “I told them, we don’t have to rush the game, and we congratulated Ella for a great game.”
Other Stories
Sands to stardom: Bernadeth Pons happy to see beach volley work result in PVL MVP awards
Once laboring under the sun away from adoring fans, beach volleyball star Bernadeth Pons found her new calling in the indoor game, exploding to the scene as a double PVL MVP and champion
‘A bit inconsistent’: Alas Pilipinas bows to Japan club in volleyball invitationals
Alas Pilipinas coach Jorge Souza de Brito expects the national volleyball team to ‘give the visitors a tougher time’ next game
‘Tama na po’: Akari captain Mich Cobb hopes fan threats stop; coach Taka dismayed with boos
Michelle Cobb and coach Taka Minowa, the usually reserved leaders of the Akari Chargers, slam fans for alleged physical threats online and boos and insults onsite
“Kyla is not quite in the right condition right now, so we’re happy that Ella stepped up.”
De Jesus, anchoring the floor from the second to the fifth sets, led the way with 19 excellent digs while Galanza added 17. On the offensive side, meanwhile, Tots Carlos, Alyssa Valdez, and Galanza made the most of their touches with a combined 70-point eruption.
For a team as talented as Creamline, not one player has a fixed hold on any role, and Meneses is pleased with the selflessness still present in the team’s ranks no matter how many championships and individual awards they hoard through the years.
“There are no problems here because the players are not jealous of one another,” he said.
“It’s not all about scoring where we help one another,” Carlos added in Filipino. “Everyone gives great energy, the coaches keep advising, and the players who don’t play that much observe the game and tell us what to do. It’s all a team effort.”
Especially now with only foreign teams left on its semifinals schedule, Creamline can certainly put the new challengers off guard by deploying more secret weapons in their arsenal like De Jesus, Michele Gumabao, and Risa Sato.
In team sports, reliable role players are always the needed variables to complete a winning formula. More often than not, star players are just one part of the equation. – Rappler.com
Got comments, questions, or insights about this story? Head to the sports chat room of the Rappler Communities app, available for iOS, Android, or web. Access our chat rooms by tapping the Community tab on the app. See you there!
