MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Valdez cherished the moment Jaja Santiago, also known as Sachi Minowa, returned to the Premier Volleyball League (PVL)—this time as her teammate at Creamline.
Creamline capped its 2026 PVL On Tour campaign with a straight-set victory over the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-21, 25-16, 25-21, on Saturday night at the Victorias City Coliseum in Negros Occidental.
Valdez led the Cool Smashers with 10 points, while Santiago, who is still adjusting to Creamline’s system, contributed six markers.
“To be honest, what we’re saying to Jaja is, it’s a good thing that Jaja is our teammate. Just in serving, blocking, and hitting, she gives us so much,” Valdez said.
“She also teaches us something different, and that becomes part of our learning. But it’s really different when your teammate is the one who leads. Jaja’s growth is incredible—not just because of her height, but also in terms of her mental, physical, and emotional growth,” she added.
Santiago last played in the PVL in 2021, when she led the Chery Tiggo Crossovers past Creamline in the Open Conference finals. She earned both the Best Middle Blocker and Finals Most Valuable Player awards in the championship run.
Five years later, the 6-foot-5 middle blocker now finds herself on the same side of the net as Valdez, who believes their paths have once again aligned as they continue to pursue their dreams.
“So, it’s just really nice that we’re still fulfilling our dreams together. And being on the same team, being in Creamline, it’s just… so beautiful because there’s always a reminder of why we’re doing this and why we’re here,” Valdez said.
“It’s because of all the teammates we’ve had and everything we’ve learned from them. So this is such a wonderful reminder for me especially—to just keep going, and that everyone is here to support each other.”
Santiago and Valdez will spearhead Creamline’s campaign in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference, which opens on Aug. 31.
The six-team field features four local clubs—Creamline, PLDT, Farm Fresh, and Nxled—and two foreign guest teams, EST Cola of Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.
Santiago’s return to the PVL will be a brief stop before she heads to the United States. She has officially signed with League One Volleyball (LOVB), adding another chapter to her international career.
LOVB is scheduled to begin its inaugural season in January 2027.
