JAJA Santiago did not get the results she wanted in her return to the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) with the Creamline Cool Smashers.
The 6-foot-5 middle-blocker wanted to lead the 11-time PVL champion squad to another championship but fell short in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference.
Creamline bowed to PLDT in its final game in the preliminary round and failed to make the finals. That loss by Creamline gave Nxled a ticket to the finals.
Creamline again lost to PLDT in the bronze medal match, causing the Cool Smashers to miss the podium in the tournament.
While heartbreak comes with lessons, Santiago said that the challenges she faced in the PVL gave her confidence heading to her United States stint.
“I think I got my confidence back in playing, and going to San Francisco, I’m kinda scared because I don’t know what my performance will be, what I’ll be able to deliver to the team, what I can give for the team, but getting the confidence playing back here, I know that I’m ready; I’m in good condition,” said Santiago, who is set to play in the League One Volleyball (LOVB) in the US starting next year.
“I think one thing I can bring with me is what we got — the challenge, the learnings from the PVL Invitational, and from my teammates, I think that’s what I’ll carry with me and the good memories. Although fortune didn’t smile on us today, this conference, I know God has a plan for the team, for us, and as we said it’s a good learning.”
Santiago will suit up for the San Francisco Signal in the LOVB, making her the first homegrown Filipino talent to play in the American volleyball league.
The former Japan SV.League import also said that the level of Philippine volleyball has become more competitive today compared to when she last played in the PVL in 2020.
Before returning to the league for Creamline, Santiago led Chery Tiggo to a PVL championship in 2020.
“I think the drafting is doing really good here because it’s not just one team building a strong roster. Every team now is getting stronger, getting better, and getting equal. And that’s really good for our league so I think the balance and competition here are much better,” she said.
