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Alyssa Valdez urges Creamline to ‘work harder and smarter’ ahead of semis
Alyssa Valdez is bracing Creamline for a tougher grind ahead, urging the Cool Smashers to “work harder and smarter” as they head into what she expects to be a challenging semifinals campaign in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
The Cool Smashers enter the round-robin semifinals having lost to all three of their Final Four opponents—PLDT, Farm Fresh, and Cignal—earlier in the conference.
“Most of, if not all, the teams na nasa semifinals, ‘yun yung nakatalo sa amin din sa eliminations and qualifying round,” said Valdez after their semis-clinching win over the Foxies last Tuesday.
“So it’s a very interesting semifinals for us, and we really have to work harder and smarter sa semifinals.”
Creamline opened its campaign on the wrong end of a straight-set defeat to the High Speed Hitters, 22-25, 17-25, 23-25, before later absorbing a 16-25, 22-25, 25-18, 23-25 loss to Farm Fresh in their penultimate prelims game, a result that nearly derailed their run to the qualifying round.
Needing a strong finish to secure a safer path forward, the Cool Smashers eked out a five-set win over the Super Spikers in their final prelims match, 25-19, 25-20, 15-25, 26-28, 16-14, only to see the same squad turn the tables in their qualifying round matchup, 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 22-25, 15-17, sending the 10-time champs to the play-in route for a semifinals berth.
(C) PVL Images
But Creamline also showed its trademark resilience when it mattered most, bouncing back with a four-set win over Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16, last Tuesday in the knockout match to clinch the final ticket to the semifinals, with Valdez leading the way.
The three-time league MVP, who had been carrying the team since the latter part of the prelims due to injuries to Bernadeth Pons and Jema Galanza, delivered another vintage performance against the Chargers with 20 points, 19 excellent digs, and eight excellent receptions.
From fighting for a qualifying round spot to playing with their season on the line, Creamline eventually clawed its way into the semifinals, with Valdez crediting a nothing-to-lose mindset that allowed her to give her all in every match.
“Halos every game kasi do or die yung games so siguro mentality ko coming into every match is to give my all talaga. There’s nothing to lose na e. Basta ibigay mo yung—I think yun yung nasa isip ko. Kung ibigay mo lahat, wala kang ititira; may reward ’yon. Kung ano man yung reward na yun, sa dulo ko pa malalaman,” Valdez said.
“Sa past few games, kahit papaano, binibigay namin lahat. Naka-dalawang panalo kami, isa, napakaganda rin nung game against Cignal. So ganoon lang yung mentality. Kung ipapasok, kung ano, gagawin lang yung trabaho at ibibigay buong puso.“
But she knows the road will only get tougher from here, and she wants the team to stay locked in on the same nothing-to-lose, one-game-at-a-time mindset as they face a more demanding stretch in the semifinals.
The post Alyssa Valdez urges Creamline to ‘work harder and smarter’ ahead of semis appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
What once felt like a distant dream is now a reality for Farm Fresh — and for Trisha Tubu, it still feels almost surreal.
From their humble beginnings three years ago to this defining moment, Tubu has been at the heart of the Foxies’ steady rise.
On Tuesday, she helped turn years of hard work and belief into history as Farm Fresh stormed into its first-ever semifinals with a commanding 25-17, 25-20, 25-19 victory over Nxled in the final round of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference play-in.
“To be honest, po sobrang sarap sa feeling,” said the 25-year-old opposite spiker, who finished with 12 points in the win.
“Pinapangarap ko lang ‘to dati as in and hindi ko alam kung kailan namin makukuha pero ito, through process and help na lang din ng management and bawat isa talagang trinabaho namin itong semis berth na to,” she added.
“Sobrang fulfilling as in hindi ko ma-explain.”
(C) PVL Images
Her words reflected the reality of how far the Foxies have come since joining the league.
Built step by step since 2023, Farm Fresh has steadily improved through each conference despite several coaching changes, showing resilience as it adapted to new systems while staying committed to long-term growth.
Those transitions, Tubu said, ultimately strengthened the team. Each shift under coaches Jerry Yee, Japanese Shota Sato, interim mentor Benson Bocboc, Italian Alessandro Lodi, and now Japanese Koji Tsuzurabara forced the Foxies to adjust, learn, and gradually shape a stronger, more defined identity both on and off the court.
“Since alam niyo naman po, naka-ilang coach na rin kami, iba’t ibang sistema. Siguro good thing po sa amin ‘yun. Yung pag-adjust, hindi naman siya ganoon kadali, pero hindi rin naman ganoon kahirap,” said the four-time PVL Best Opposite Hitter.
“Sanay kami sa paiba-ibang sistema. Yung mga sistemang ‘yun na-apply namin sa lahat ng games namin, and yung bagong sistema ni Coach nag-add up lang, with the help of Coach Koji din talaga, talagang trinabaho niya sa amin.”
Tubu said the transition to Tsuzurabara’s system helped shift the team’s mindset, reinforcing the belief that the Foxies are no longer just challengers.
Now, as they step into their first-ever semifinals, Farm Fresh is a team capable of competing at a higher level.
#WATCH: PINAPANGARAP KO LANG ‘TO DATI
Trisha Tubu says making it to the final four of a PVL conference is a culmination of a long journey for Farm Fresh#ReadMore
https://t.co/NwshNiDvyB
@jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times#PVL2026 pic.twitter.com/AGlqV7vkq1
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) April 7, 2026
The post Trisha Tubu credits coaching changes for Farm Fresh’s dream semis berth appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.
There are soon to be major changes in the leadership of the NFF so also the technical department, where the contracts of technical director Austin Eguavoen as well as other top officials are set to run out.
The contracts of the chieftains of the NFF technical department will come to an end in September.
Former Super Eagles captain Eguavoen has headed the NFF technical department for the past five years during which time he has taken charge of the country’s team on two separate occasions – for the delayed 2021 AFCON in Cameroon leading up to the ill-fated 2022 World Cup Playoffs against Ghana and then for the qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON.
Close observers have alleged that he and his department have not enjoyed the necessary support of the current NFF hierachy.
The post Major changes at NFF technical department, Eguavoen, others’ contracts up first appeared on Score Nigeria.
Inter Lagos have promised to continue to play “good football” after they became the second team to gain promotion to the NPFL.
Inter Lagos drew 1-1 with fellow city rivals Smart City Monday to be promoted for the first time to the Nigerian top league.
They have recorded an unassailable 29 points with a game in hand in the NNL Conference A.
Club president Lanre Vigo celebrated their promotion.
“We already play good football and we will bring that to the NPFL,” he said.
“We hope to enjoy the journey and also make sure we survive.”
The post Promoted Inter Lagos promise ‘good football’ in NPFL first appeared on Score Nigeria.
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