Creamline overcomes previous setbacks, returns to PVL finals

Alyssa Valdez PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines: All roads lead to the finals for the defending champion Creamline.

The Cool Smashers faced a lot of painful “first times” in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2024 All-Filipino Conference, but after taking beatdowns, the Cool Smashers overcame the cloud of doubts as they secured a finals berth.

Creamline picked the right timing to be at its peak form after advancing to the finals through a 25-16, 25-21, 25-20 sweep over Chery Tiggo.

With all of the events that transpired in the elimination round and semis of the league, head coach Sherwin Meneses had nothing but gratefulness as Creamline now returns to the finals.

“We had a good win today since the players really fought for every point. I hope we improve more in the finals, and we can defend our title,” Meneses told the press after their crucial win against Chery Tiggo.

In the preliminaries, Chery Tiggo snapped Creamline’s 19-game winning streak via sweep to hand the Cool Smashers their first heartbreak in the conference.

Facing each other once again in the semifinals, the Cool Smashers came prepared and did not allow the same situation to happen again.

“What we did is the same, we fought through every situation and situation at every point, knowing the situation is important. We look at how the situation can go, whether we win or lose because we are ready. There are no weak teams this conference that’s why we always prepare for whatever situation that will happen inside the court because we cannot predict the game,” Meneses said.

Creamline was almost on the brink of elimination in the preliminaries as Choco Mucho, Petro Gazz, Chery Tiggo, and PLDT took the upper hand early in the standings.

Compared to Creamline’s 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference record where they swept the preliminaries and finished with a 12-0 flawless record, the Cool Smashers absorbed three defeats from the Petro Gazz (9-2, 28), Chery Tiggo (9-2, 25), and PLDT (8-3, 23) to fall in the fourth place with an 8-3 win-loss card with 24 points.

All of this will be put in the past, as the Cool Smashers must look ahead and prepare for their showdown against sister team Choco Mucho.

For Creamline’s veteran spiker Jema Galanza, she still looks for more improvement after securing their finals seat.

“Of course, I am happy, but just like what I said in the last game, we are still not satisfied with how we play or even in this season since it is not yet finished. We can’t relax, we need to focus 100-percent. For sure our opponent also wants to beat us, and we also want the championship,” Galanza told the press.

With both Rebisco teams heading to the finals, Creamline eyes to defend their title against the formidable Choco Mucho on Thursday, May 9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.