Alyssa Valdez back in top form for national team

SANTA ROSA, Philippines – Sidelined by injury the past weeks, Alyssa Valdez quickly showed she’s back in tip-top shape.

Valdez, who missed the first leg of the ASEAN Grand Prix in Thailand due to a right ankle injury, topscored with 14 points, including 3 straight points in the opening frame that made the crowd go wild. 

“I’m really happy na, hopefully nakapag-contribute din ako sa best of my ability din,” the former Ateneo star said after the Philippines swept Vietnam in the second-leg opener in Laguna on Friday, October 4.

“Sana magtuloy-tuloy lang ‘yung improvement at sana mas madami pa kaming malaman sa isa’t isa because of this tournament.”

(I’m really happy that I contributed to the team to the best of my ability. I hope that we continuously improve, and I hope that we learn more from each other in this tournament.)

Despite her notable performance, the ace spiker credited the team’s effort and the ecstatic Filipino crowd who trooped to the Sta Rosa Sports Complex.

“Maganda rin talaga yung laban, but everyone stepped up and napag-aralan naman ng coaches and the team, reviewing din kung anong plays ang gagawin nila,” said Valdez

(It was a good match, but everyone stepped up. Our coaches and the team really studied their possible plays.)

Valdez, however, will miss tomorrow’s match against Thailand together with Jia Morado, Maddie Madayag and Jovelyn Gonzaga as they gear up for their respective club teams in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) in Iloilo.

“Kasi may mga prior commitments din tayo na naka-set na rin talaga,” Valdez said. “We pray for the rest of the team na siyempre, alam naman natin magstep-up yung mga nasa team and alam natin kung ano yung mga strategies na gagawin ni coach Shaq (delos Santos) and yung coaching staff namin going to the game against Thailand.”

(We have prior commitments. But we’ll pray for the rest of the team, and we know that they’ll step up and we know that coach Shaq delos Santos and the staff prepared strategies going to the game against Thailand.) – Rappler.com