'Moving Forward Unscathed': Alyssa Valdez Undeterred by Creamline's Premature AVC Departure

Cool Smashers Suffer Early Exit in AVC Champions League

The Cool Smashers, led by team captain Alyssa Valdez, experienced an early exit in the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League. The team lost both matches against Zhetysu VC and Nakhom Ratchasima in straight sets, resulting in a 1-2 record in the tournament.

The defeat came as a 15-25, 22-25, 16-25 sweep at the hands of Nakhon Ratchasima Qmin C VC in the knockout quarterfinals. This was a disappointing end for the Cool Smashers, who had made adjustments to their playstyle following the arrival of imports Erica Staunton, Anastasiya Kudryashova, and Anastassiya Kolomoyets.

Despite the loss, Valdez opted to focus on the positives. "We had nothing to lose but everything to gain in this tournament," she stated in Filipino. Valdez admitted that they had lost to the Petro Gazz Angels in a thrilling three-game championship series earlier this month in the PVL All-Filipino Conference. However, she expressed no excuses for the team's performance in the AVC Champions League.

Valdez also looked forward to representing the Philippines in future international tournaments. However, as of now, there is no current information that she will participate in the upcoming international volleyball tournament for the Philippines; the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship is a men's event from September 12 to 28, 2025, in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the Philippines' hopes for a podium finish in the AVC Champions League now rest on the shoulders of Petro Gazz. They are looking to pull off an upset against China's BAIC Motor Volley Club in the quarterfinals. Valdez hopes that the Cool Smashers will carry this experience into the future, even after the loss in the PVL.

Valdez expressed her optimism for the future, stating, "We will learn from this experience and come back stronger." The team captain's positive attitude serves as a beacon of hope for the Cool Smashers as they look towards their next competition.

'Moving Forward Unscathed': Alyssa Valdez Undeterred by Creamline's Premature AVC Departure