BY ABBY TORALBA
CREAMLINE cruised to a 25-16, 25-21, 25-20 victory over Chery Tiggo last night to clinch a finals slot in the PVL All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The wild and roaring crowd erupted as Tots Carlos sealed the deal with a powerful hit, ending the lopsided one-hour, 34-minute encounter and steering the Cool Smashers to their third consecutive finals stint and a shot at their third straight import-less title.
Overall, the team is gunning for an eighth crown in the league organized by Sports Vision.
Playmaker Kyle Negrito attributed their success to hard work and perseverance. Despite initial struggles, where they wound up fourth in the prelims and lost their first match in the semis, they refused to relent, addressing weaknesses and making crucial adjustments along the way.
“Kung may pinaghugutan kami, ito ‘yung bawat isa, sa paghihirap namin buong conference,” said Negrito, who anchored the Cool Smashers’ offense with 16 excellent sets.
“We’re just too happy that we won when it mattered.”
“Pero hindi pa tapos ang laban, magta-trabaho pa kami ng husto,” added Negrito, who also scored six points.
With a 2-1 record and a substantial 7-point tally, Creamline clinched the top spot, even in the event of a tie for first place among the Cool Smashers, Choco Mucho and Petro Gazz.
The outcome of the Flying Titans-Angels duel at press time will determine their finals opponent.
The Cool Smashers dominated from the outset, capitalizing on a fast start to overwhelm the Crossovers. Led by Carlos, who was rejuvenated after a well-deserved rest, Creamline dictated the pace, outscoring its opponents in attack points, aces, and pouncing on unforced errors.
Chery Tiggo struggled to find its rhythm in the face of Creamline’s formidable defense, anchored by Pangs Panaga, which thwarted the Crossovers’ offensive attempts. Despite a brief Chery Tiggo fightback in the second frame, Creamline maintained control, with Jema Galanza and Alyssa Valdez delivering crucial hits.
As the match progressed, the crowd favorites kept their momentum, scoring a follow-up to their four-set triumph over the Angels last Thursday and denying the Crossovers a victory.
