Alyssa backs Tots’ Korean bid

Decorated spiker Alyssa Valdez showed all-out support for her Creamline teammate Tots Carlos who went to South Korea to showcase her talents in the 2024 Korean V.League Women’s Asian Quota Draft.

“We’re praying for Tots,” Valdez said after their 13-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-16, loss against Choco Mucho in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Tuesday night.

“May it be being able to catch up with (our) team, may it be being a part of one of the teams there in Korea, we’re just really happy for her, for this opportunity that she has.”

On Wednesday, Tots Carlos, along with Chery Tiggo’s opposite hitter Mylene Paat, and Petro Gazz’s middle blocker MJ Phillips, went undrafted in the Korean V.League.

Carlos was the shortest non-libero aspirant at 5-foot-5 in the 30-player pool which underwent the three-day tryouts.

Despite being undrafted, she posted exceptional results with Paat, as the two Filipinas topped the vertical jump portion at 61 centimeters.

But all is not lost for the three Filipina skippers as they still have the chance to play on the international stage if they get signed by the Korean V.League teams as undrafted players.

While Philipps won’t be missing games in the local scene as she didn’t attend the tryout in South Korea, there’s no confirmation if Carlos and Paat will be able to make it in time for the Cool Smasher and Crossovers’ separate games as of press time.

However, Valdez underscored the importance of teamwork amidst the uncertainty of the reigning Second All-Filipino Conference Most Valuable Player’s return with the team.

“We always train as a team, and it’s always part of training that coach (Sherwin Meneses) rotates us all,” Valdez said.

“So, I guess we miss Tots (Carlos) definitely, but we run in a system. Even if somebody goes missing in the team, Coach Sherwin makes sure that we move in a certain way in our system.”