Kyle Negrito showed she is more than just a backup.
Making her first start in months, Negrito delivered a steady performance to steer the Creamline Cool Smashers past the Akari Power Chargers and into the semifinals of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
With Jia De Guzman returning to the lineup, Negrito saw limited minutes in the preliminary round. But in a do-or-die setting, Creamline turned to her—and she responded.
She tallied 23 excellent sets and 6 points, guiding the Cool Smashers to a 25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 25-16 victory at the Filoil Centre.
For Negrito, it was not about doing anything extraordinary, but simply executing what was already familiar. “Sinunod ko lang po ’yung sinabi ni coach. ’Di na rin naman po bago ’yung naging game plan namin. Na-experience ko na rin po ’yung mga ganyang do-or-die na big games,” she said. “’Yun nga po, nag-work ’yung game plan, and confident po ako kasi alam ko na tutulungan ako ng mga teammates ko.”
Negrito Shows Poise When It Matters Most
Her composure in a high-pressure situation reflected both her experience and the trust she has built within the system—something head coach Sherwin Meneses values in their two-setter setup. “Siyempre, masaya. Nagawa niya ’yung role niya. Dalawa naman sila ni Jia, talagang nagtatrabaho nang husto,” said Meneses. “’Yung chemistry ng team, talagang nandiyan na kay Kyle. Pero depende naman sa situation—pwedeng si Jia, pwedeng si Kyle every game.”
For Creamline, having both Negrito and De Guzman provides flexibility, allowing the team to adjust depending on matchups and game flow. “So ’yun naman ’yung strength ng Creamline. Hindi natin alam kung sino magsa-start… basta magtrabaho lang kami, gawin namin ng tama, at maging masaya sa bawat isa,” Meneses added.
In a game where the stakes were highest, Negrito stayed ready—and when her number was called, she delivered.
