Creamline setter Kyle Negrito made the opportunity count as she led the Cool Smashers to their third straight All-Filipino title in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) last week. 

Negrito, who turned 27 a day prior to helping Creamline sweep the finals series against sister team Choco Mucho, stepped in for the role left behind by decorated setter Jia Morado, who signed with Denso Airybees in Japan last August. 
 

“Ilang taon na rin naman ako sa Creamline, so mas masaya. Parang mas personally, ramdam ko ‘yung championship na to kasi andoon ako,” she said. 

“Hindi rin naman naging madali ‘yung process pero we made it. Sobrang saya ko rin talaga kasi ‘yung team ko grabe rin ‘yung patience, talagang nagtiyaga kami at trinabaho namin.”

The 5-foot-8 Caviteña was happy to see herself throughout the Cool Smashers’ undefeated campaign this conference where they won all 15 games. 

The pressure was certainly immense as all eyes were on her in succeeding eight-time PVL Best Setter Morado, something that veteran spiker Jema Galanza and head coach Sherwin Meneses understood was a big role to fulfill.

“Gusto ko lang sabihin kay Kyle and kay (Jeanette) Pangs, isa to sa lahat ng nag-step up. Kasi ang hirap nung trabaho na ginagawa nila at ‘yung pressure na dinadala nila. Pero ito dinala rin nila kami sa goal na gusto namin. Sana marami pang championship na magkakasama tayo at walang iwanan. Sana this season marami kaming natutunan at mag-grow pa,” Galanza said. 

Aside from Morado, middle blocker Ced Domingo left the seven-time champion’s rotation shortly after the conference began. 

“Hindi ko nga gets ‘yung sinasabi nilang malalim ‘yung bench namin. Lalo na nung mga previous conferences kasi ‘yun din naman ‘yung naglaro minus two. Ngayon okay ‘yung team pero ast conference talaga mas malalim. Kasi same lineup plus two, so ‘yun ‘yung point namin na kahit may nawala, may mase-step up. Every training napaka-competitive kahit sila lang,” said Meneses.

Negrito joined Creamline in 2019 while Morado was there for the squad since its PVL debut in 2017. 

Now given the time to showcase her full playmaking skills in the MVP-loaded squad, Negrito is expected to reach her peak form come the next season.