Ces Molina crowned 2023 PVL Invitationals MVP in a career first

July 30, 2023 Times Europe

Cignal HD Spikers’ Ces Molina is the PVL Invitational Conference MVP. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Ces Molina was crowned the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference Most Valuable Player on Sunday at Philsports Arena.

The Cignal HD Spiker won her first-ever MVP award after consistently leading her team all throughout the midseason tournament.

Molina capped Cignal’s Invitational campaign with the top individual honor after winning bronze in the tournament, beating F2 Logistics, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18, scoring 19 points.

Molina was selected as the MVP over Creamline’s Tots Carlos and Kurashiki’s Asaka Tamaru.

“First of all, I really couldn’t believe that I won the MVP. I just thought I won the outside spiker [award]

Una po talaga sa lahat hindi ko po alam na MVP ako oh my god. Akala ko talaga outside spiker ako kanina super happy ako and grateful kasi hindi ko naman to magagawa lahat kung wala yung tulong and pagpupursige ng teammates ko and coaches namin. Sobrang happy lang po ngayon hindi ko alam ano sasabihin ko,” said an emotional Molina.

In her 13-year career, the 5-foot-9 spiker won her first top individual award after emerging as the highest scoring local in the semifinals phase, totaling 87 points.

Cignal HD Spikers’ Ces Molina is the PVL Invitational Conference MVP. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The 5-foot-9 spiker from Cignal won the MVP award moments after the title game won by guest team Kurashiki Ablaze.

The 28-year-old player from Nueva Ecija also achieved the third-highest spiker efficiency in the phase with a 33.65-percent success rate to add the MVP to her two Best Outside Spiker awards in the 2022 Open and Invitational Conferences.

Tamaru won one of the two Best Outside Spiker awards with Cool Smasher Alyssa Valdez as she scored 29 points including the championship-clinching ace to dethrone Creamline, 19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 20-25, 15-13, and sweep the tournament on Sunday in front of ecstatic 8,223 fans.

Tamaru was the top scorer of the semifinals phase with 113 points on a 40.07-percent spiking accuracy.

Valdez, now a seven-time Best Outside Spiker in the league, was the eighth-highest scorer with 57 points and had the second-best success rate in spiking, at 39.23 percent.

PVL Awardees Kath Arado, Ced Domingo, Majoy Baron, Ces Molina, Gel Cayuna, Asaka Tamaru, Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos. –PVL PHOTO

Three-time MVP Carlos, also from Creamline, was awarded Best Opposite Hitter — her fourth — after finishing fourth in scoring with 72 points, while also having the third-best spiking success rate at 35.11 percent.

Meanwhile, Molina’s teammate Gel Cayuna was hailed as the Best Setter of the Conference, after averaging 5.14 excellent sets per game. She edged out Rhea Dimaculangan of PLDT (5.08) and Jia De Guzman of Creamline (5.00) for the award.

This is Cayuna’s second Best Setter award, as she also received the honor during the 2022 Open.

Majoy Baron of F2 Logistics and Creamline’s Ced Domingo were recognized as the top Middle Blockers, with Baron averaging 1.07 blocks per set and Domingo achieving 0.82 blocks per set.

Completing the All-Premier Team was Kath Arado of PLDT, who topped both the digging (6.62) and receiving (53.76-percent) categories.

Arado is now a three-time Best Libero in the league, having also received the citation during the 2021 Open and 2023 All-Filipino conferences.