By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Creamline overcame an erratic second set to turn back a fiesty Chery Tiggo side, 25-18, 27-25, 25-22, in Game 1 of their semifinal series in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday, Dec. 7.
The Cool Smashers committed 10 unforced errors in that frame but Alyssa Valdez came to the rescue in the crunch, flashing her vintage form to turn a24-22 deficit into a set win.
That fueled Creamline going into the third as it pummeled Chery Tiggo with a combination of hard smashes and solid blocks to draw the first blood in their best-of-three semis affair.
Jema Galanza waxed hot anew for the Cool Smashers by unloading 16 of her 17 points on attacks, while Valdez chipped in 12 points.
Despite moving a win away from booking a finals berth, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses said there’s not time to celebrate yet.
“Every game, napakaimportante. Itong panalong ito ang magmo-motivate sa amin na maglaro pa nang mas maganda sa next game kasi hindi pa tapos ang laban,” said Meneses, adding that they needed to address their lapses in this match once they reviewed the tapes.
Valdez, meanwhile, lauded the efforts of Chery Tiggo in giving them a good fight particularly in the second set.
“We know that when facing Chery (Tiggo), we would have to work hard on every point,: said Valdez, who scored three points in the team’s 5-1 run late in the second frame including a service ace.
“But it was really nice to play with this young generation of pool talents. They have the kind of fighting spirit that every coach would want in a player,” she added.
Meneses stuck mostly on his first six composed of Kyle Negrito, Risa Sato, Jeanette Panaga, Tots Carlos, Galanza and Valdez for most parts of the game — displaying the kind of depth they had as Carlos erupted for 15 points highlighted by 14 kills, and Sato and Panaga combined for 12 points.
Negrito also proved instrumental in their assault by delivering 23 excellent sets, even as Carlos and Galanza teamed up for 19 of the team’s digs.
In the other game, Cignal woke up from a two-set slumber and downed Choco Mucho, 18-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-19, 15-10, in their own semis series.
The HD Spikers banked on their all-around plays in the pivotal fifth frame to crawl back from a 0-2.
The victory not only put them one win away from booking a finals berth, but also snapped Choco Mucho’s imposing 10-game winning streak dating back Oct. 19.
It also avenged their 25-21-, 25-19, 25-18 eliminations loss to the Flying Titans last Oct. 26.
