CREAMLINE overcame early struggle in the third set to secure a 25-23, 25-21, 25-19 victory over PLDT and inch closer to the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference in Cagayan de Oro Saturday night.
The Cool Smashers exploited the High Speed Hitters’ inconsistent finishes while showcasing their strength in rallies all throughout the one-hour, 34-minute encounter.
Tots Carlos, Michele Gumabao, Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza provided the firepower, exemplifying the team’s prowess developed over their six-year campaign that produced six championships in the country’s premier league organized by Sports Vision.
That included their sudden death victory over the Petro Gazz Angels in the first conference, also the All-Filipino, last March with the defending also running their combination plays in the middle with clockwork precision.
Galanza took the lead in anchoring majority of them while Carlos, Gumabao and Valdez dominated both wings with their powerful attacks on their way to stretching their win run to seven.
“Yung first set talagang dikit, yung situation tinitignan namin kung pabor ba sa amin or hindi. Pero knowing, lalo na si Alyssa (Valdez) ang nasa loob, talagang yung leadership niya talagang laging nandiyan. Happy kami kasi nakakuha kami ng three sets, lumalapit kami sa semifinals,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.
Creamline tries to formalize its stint in post-elims play with a victory over Nxled on Nov. 23 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. The Cool Smashers last three elims matches will be against the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, the Akari Chargers and the Galeries Tower Highrisers.
Valdez topscored for Creamline for the first time in a long while with 13 points while Galanza banged in 12 points and Gumabao and Carlos added 10 and four points, respectively.
With so many scoring options, playmaker Kyle Negrito also found little trouble setting up their attacks, finishing with 15 excellent sets and chipping in six points.
PLDT stayed at No. 5 with a 5-3 (win-loss) mark, its bid to join Cignal at 6-2 practically foiled by its own undoing.
