Better late than never: Valdez, Soltones star in Smart-Maynilad win

MANILA, Philippines – Alyssa Valdez and Gretchel Soltones came to Smart-Maynilad's rescue as it turned back Phl National Police, 17-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-22, to bolster its Final Four bid in the Shakey’s V-League Season 10 Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan City Friday.

Coming late because of conflict of schedule with their studies, Valdez and Soltones checked in late in the first set and used it as a warm up by coming through strong in the last three sets where the Net Spikers took charge.

Valdez, a Psychology student at Ateneo whose classes ended half an hour before game time, ended up leading all scorers with 27 hits while Soltones, a Tourism student at San Sebastian who had a pre-finals exam before the match, provided the ample support by scattering nine hits.

"I've expected them (Valdez and Soltones) to come in late because of their studies," said Smart coach Roger Gorayeb in Filipino. "Good thing they came much earlier than expected, they helped save the day."

Thai reinforcement Lithawat Kesinee filled the gap in the absences of Valdez and Soltones in the first set but the Lady Patrollers' Janine Nicole Marciano, Thai import Sangmuang Patcharee and Frances Xinia Molina were just too much as the latter took the opening set.

And then Valdez and Soltones came in to deliver the blows.

Marciano, Patcharee and Molina led PNP with 16, 14 and 12 hits, respectively, but they just didn't have an answer to the power-hitting troike of Valdez, Soltones and Kesinee and fell to their seventh setback against two wins.

Gorayeb though didn't like how his team closed out the game.

After take the second and third sets to go 2-1 up, the Net Spikers appeared headed to wrapping things up when they zoomed to a convincing 16-11 lead before complacency caught up on them that allowed the Lady Patrollers to claw their way back to within just a one-point deficit, 22-23.

And then a Soltones kill and a block by Kesinee, who wound up with a game-high three blocks, on Molina sealed the deal for Smart.

"They just lost focus and concentration in the fourth set, we blew our big lead there," said Gorayeb.