CREAMLINE sustained its charge in the preliminaries of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference yesterday, humbling Chery Tiggo in straight sets 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 at the PhilSports Arena.
As a result of their eighth straight win, the Cool Smashers regained the lead, thanks to the efforts of middle blocker Bea De Leon who had 13 points, eight off attacks, three service aces and two kill blocks.
With the win, Creamline (8-0) overtook Petro Gazz (7-1) in the race for the top seed, while Chery Tiggo dropped to 5-5, placing eighth in the 12-team standings.
Outside spiker Jema Galanza also made her presence felt for Creamline with nine markers and five excellent receptions while opposite hitter Tots Carlos and middle blocker Jeanette Panaga combined for 16 points in the hour and 30-minute duel.
“Malaking tulong samin iyong panalo ngayon kasi nga nakuha namin iyong game ngayon ng three sets. Kasi last time, medyo nagrelax sa third set, nakuha ng kalaban iyong third set, ngayon naging lesson sa amin iyong last game namin. So sobrang thankful sa mga players, nag-response din sa third set,” Creamline mentor Sherwin Meneses said.
Earlier, the PVL and the Spikers’ Turf renewed their partnership with ArenaPlus as the league’s official gaming partner.
Present during the ceremonial contract signing were Sports Vision Management Inc. president Ricky Palou, PVL league commissioner Sherwin Malonzo, DigiPlus Interactive Corporation, ArenaPlus parent company, president Andy Tsui and Total Gamezone Xtreme Incorporated, game provider of ArenaPlus president Jasper Vicencio.
While the Cool Smashers pulled away midway through the first two sets, they showed resilience in the third, breaking a 19-all count with a decisive 6-2 run to clinch their eighth straight victory.
Creamline’s deep bench proved to be a key factor, as another standout performance anchored the team’s latest triumph after a grueling five-set win over Cignal last weekend.
The Cool Smashers moved within three wins from sweeping the ranking phase of the record six-month-long conference organized by Sports Vision.
“It was a team effort. Everybody contributed to executing our plays,” said De Leon, who earned the Player of the Game honors.
However, she was quick to credit the team’s collective effort, emphasizing their coach’s focus on execution.
“Coach (Sherwin Meneses) stressed good execution, and everything else followed,” she added.
De Leon also highlighted how the team applied lessons from their previous match against Cignal, where they nearly squandered a 2-0 set lead before recovering in the decider.
“That match taught us a lesson. We lost focus in the third set, allowing them to come back. Against Chery Tiggo, we wanted to maintain that extra push and focus, and we did,” she said.
The Cool Smashers showcased their offensive depth in their one-hour, 22-minute rout. Jema Galanza sparked the team’s strong finishing kick with a tough down-the-line hit, followed by Pangs Panaga and Tots Carlos chipping in before Alyssa Valdez sealed the match with a powerful kill.
