Jaja Santiago makes winning Creamline debut in PVL on Tour

Jaja Santiago and the Creamline Cool Smashers during a 2026 PVL on Tour game vs Galeries Tower Highrisers. –PVL PHOTO

VICTORIAS, Negros Occidental — The best of both worlds finally met as international volleyball star Jaja Santiago made her debut for 11-time champion Creamline in a 25-21, 25-16, 25-21 victory over Galeries Tower, saving the best for last in the PVL On Tour on Saturday night at Victorias City Coliseum here.

Santiago made a rousing league homecoming, showing flashes of her old form against the young HighRisers as Creamline won its second preseason game, a month after its four-set victory over Nxled last July 8 in Ilagan, Isabela.

The Japan SV.League mainstay returned to the Philippines for the first time since the 2021 bubble tournament in Ilocos Norte, where she dominated her way to Conference MVP, Finals MVP and Best Middle Blocker honors while delivering Chery Tiggo its maiden pro crown after outlasting Creamline in three Finals games.

Santiago was also reunited with former national teammate Alyssa Valdez, with the two executing a combination play that saw the Filipino-Japanese player draw the blockers before Valdez finished with a cross-court kill to seal the second set.

Jaja Santiago-Alyssa Valdez combination play! We missed this duo!

END OF SET 1: Creamline 25, Galeries Tower 21 #PVLOnTour #PVL2026 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/nIGKQx9wSU

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) August 22, 2026

Before making her debut in the United States’ League One Volleyball, the former SV.League Best Blocker and champion signed with Creamline for the Invitationals starting Aug. 31.

Santiago will face defending champion PLDT, Nxled and Farm Fresh, as well as Thailand’s EST Cola and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.

Galeries Tower finished the On Tour with one win in three games, beating Farm Fresh in its opening assignment in Batangas last July 11 before dropping back-to-back games against Nxled in Polomolok, South Cotabato, and Creamlin