By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Creamline inched closer to a rare Grand Slam feat after booking a finals berth at the expense of Cignal, 25-18, 29-27, 17-25, 25-20, in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Mall of Asia Arena late Monday, Sept. 9.
Still fresh from capturing the Reinforced Conference title last week, the Cool Smashers continued their winning ways behind the efforts of Erica Staunton and Michele Gumabao and Bernadeth Pons to move closer to a season sweep of all three conference titles.
Another title win will be Creamline’s 10th overall and fourth straight crown, building on last year’s triumph in the All-Filipino Conference.
Staunton torched the net anew with 27 points highlighted by 25 kills, while Gumabao provided leadership and unloaded 16 attacks to finish 19 points. Pons, who won Finals and Conference MVP in the Reinforced, chipped in 15 points.
The Cool Smashers, who rallied past the HD Spikers in a gripping semifinal clash during the Reinforced Conference en route to another championship, are heavily favored to dispatch the winless Farm Fresh Foxies in Wednesday’s final eliminations match at the PhilSports Arena.
Cignal and defending champion Kurashiki, both with 2-1 slates, dispute the other finals berth, also tomorrow, with the one-game finals set on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
MJ Perez came away with 35 points but struggled in the face of the Cool Smashers’ solid defense in the clutch. Ces Molina added 19 markers while Ria Meneses added six points and Doria and Gel Cayuna matched five-point outputs for Cignal.
