Alyssa Valdez and Michele Gumabao praise rookies Sheena Toring and Nica Celis as perfect fits for Creamline

The Creamline Cool Smashers are the most successful club in Premier Volleyball League (PVL) history, as evidenced by the number of titles they have won. They are also, without a doubt, the most popular team in the league.

Creamline is known for fostering a family-like atmosphere, with many of their core players having been with the team for quite some time. This includes franchise captain and Filipino volleyball icon Alyssa Valdez. However, the management continues to encourage competition within the squad, as seen in their selection of two young players in the recent 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.

The Cool Smashers added two young middle blockers to their championship-caliber roster: Sheena Toring of the National University Lady Bulldogs and Nica Celis from the University of the Philippines. Valdez believes the rookie duo is a perfect fit for Creamline, which is looking to inject more youth into its rotation.

“They are coming from good universities with strong sports programs, so it’s heartening to see that these two girls are very willing to listen and learn. That’s one of the best qualities you want when someone joins a team setup,” Valdez said during a media interaction.

Notably, Toring has already impressed in her debut for Creamline, contributing five points in their dominant 25-10, 25-21, 25-10 win over the Capital1 Solar Spikers in the opening game of the PVL On Tour preseason tournament, held at the Chavit Coliseum in Vigan City on Sunday, June 22.

That loud cheer and scream y’all!

It’s still the Alyssa Valdez. The phenom, the face of Philippine Volleyball.#PVLOnTour #PVL2025 pic.twitter.com/TzL9s28Zey

— miL (@binarius_) June 22, 2025

“Alam mo, napakabait ‘nung dalawang bata. It doesn’t seem like they came from—especially Sheena—a winning team in the UAAP. She is truly a hard worker. On the other hand, Nica is always ready for any feedback we give her. There’s a bright future ahead for these two, and hopefully, they’ll be able to contribute even more to the team,” Valdez added.

Valdez’s teammate and Player of the Game awardee Michele Gumabao echoed her captain’s sentiments, saying she was not surprised by the rookies’ performances. She believes both players have what it takes to succeed in the league.

“They’ve been working hard and adapting well to Creamline’s culture and team work ethic. They bring a fresh perspective to the squad, and they’re doing really well—we’re proud of them,” Gumabao said.

The Cool Smashers will aim for their second straight win in Pool B when they face the Akari Chargers on Monday, June 23, at the Chavit Coliseum in Vigan City. All eyes will be on the rookie duo to see if they can continue to impress for their new team.

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