High morale but tempered with caution for BaliPure ahead of Creamline clash

MANILA, Philippines – On the eve of the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders’ match with the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Open Conference of the Premier Volleyball League, the former are on a tempered high.

BaliPure opened the season with a 3-1 loss to Black Mamba Army, but they bounced back with a resounding five-set win over Chery Tiggo and a 3-1 win over the Cignal HD Spikers.

“The ladies are keen on proving themselves that we belong in this league,” underscored head coach Rommel Abella. “We believe our month-long bubble training in Pampanga helped because we not only got to train physically but we got to know each other as a team much better.”

The entire squad held their bubble at the Colegio de San Sebastian in San Fernando, Pampanga from June 8 to July 12.

According to team manager Gil Cortez, the team had twice-a-day training except on Sundays to work out the rust from the lockdown. 

The wins aside, the Purest Water Defenders know that there will no longer be ambushes as teams will prepare for them.

“I believe they will,” said middle blocker Sati Espiritu of teams not being overconfident against BaliPure. “We played hard against the top teams of the league and have gotten good results.”

For spiker and veteran Grace Bombita, the early loss was also a wake-up call to the team to “bring it.”

“Wake-up call siya sa team and pina-realize ni coach Rommel na kaya naming lumaban basta magtulungan sa court at paganahin yung teamwork.”

Abella has gone to an 11-woman rotation in their three matches so far.

During their bubble training in Pampanga, Abella said that while his team may lack star power — save perhaps for Bombita — they feature a lot of underrated players with a lot to prove. “This is an opportunity for our players to show the entire country that they can do well and make a name for themselves with our team.”

Bombita, who is leading BaliPure with an average of 20.3 points per game, admitted that along with setter Alina Bicar (averaging 22.5 excellent sets per game), they couldn’t sleep the night of the win over Chery Tiggo.

 “Coach said that the win over Chery Tiggo, one of the top-seeded teams in this tournament, should be the foundation of our getting better. We have to keep working harder.”