Alyssa Bertolano continued to repay coach Alessandro Lodi’s trust after another solid outing as Farm Fresh's starting libero in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Alyssa Bertolano has been making her mark for Farm Fresh — not from the wings, but at the heart of the team’s floor defense.
The outside hitter-turned-libero continues to prove her worth, finishing with 10 excellent receptions in their hard-earned four-set victory over Choco Mucho, 25-18, 25-13, 18-25, 26-24, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference on Friday, October 31.
Bertolano said she sees her continued rise in the libero role as a chance to repay the confidence that head coach Alessandro Lodi and her teammates have placed in her.
“Ako po sobrang naging malaking opportunity po sa’kin na naging libero ako ngayon,” Bertolano said during the post-game press conference.
“Nagpapasalamat ako kay coach na binigyan niya ako ng tiwala sa loob ng court, and grateful din ako sa team kasi nagtiyaga sila sa akin. Credit kay Ate Jheck [Dionela] kasi tinuruan niya po ako sa basics ng pagiging libero.”
[ALSO READ: PVL: How high-spirited Alessandro Lodi became the right coach for Trisha Tubu, Farm Fresh]
Adjusting to the libero role
Though the switch has come with nerves, Bertolano shared that once she steps inside the court, her focus is all on performing for the team.
Alyssa Bertolano receives the ball during Farm Fresh's four-set win over Choco Mucho in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference. | Photo: PVL
So far, Bertolano ranks 8th among Best Diggers far in the conference, helping the Foxies improve to a 4-1 record in Pool A.
“Nakakakaba siya. Pero ‘yun nga, kapag nasa loob ka na ng court, hindi mo na siya maiisip eh, ‘yung kaba. Kasi nandun ka na eh, kailangan ko po mag-perform para sa sarili ko and para sa team,” she added.
Data-driven confidence
But for Lodi, Bertolano’s shift to libero was never a gamble. The Italian tactician said it was a decision backed by both performance and preparation.
“It’s not about the defense. The priority has always been the reception,” said Lodi. “The idea was always to have the best possible receiving team we could have.”
Lodi explained that Bertolano’s transition came naturally after she expressed willingness to take on the role, aligning with the team’s data-based evaluation.
“It kinda came at the same time,” he recalled. “She told me herself, ‘Hey, I would be willing or available to play libero,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea.’”
He also credited his hardworking coaching staff, who spend countless hours reviewing video and statistics to ensure that every tactical decision is supported by evidence.
“Everything we do is based on information, on real data, not on opinions,” said Lodi. “We might lose, but we will try really our best with all the tools that we have available. So the chance of having her [as libero] was very easy, it’s not even a choice, the data told us. It was easy to do that.”
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.