Creamline booked its second straight finals appearance after sweeping PetroGazz in their best-of-three semifinals affair in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Cool Smashers recovered from a first-set stumble and turned back the Angels, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-13, to inch closer to their second title in the league.
Former Most Valuable Player Alyssa Valdez anchored the squad with 14 points even as five others also finished in double figures for Creamline.
Michele Gumabao, Pau Soriano and Jema Galanza also added 12 points apiece with Galanza and Soriano combining for 23 of the team’s 53 kills.
Risa Sato also sizzled with 11 points including three blocks.
Valdez said they had a tough time closing out the game.
“Maybe it’s the pressure from following up that win, so we’re just glad that we stuck to each other til the end,” said Valdez.
The Cool Smashers await the winner between BanKo-Perlas and Ateneo-Motolite after the Lady Eagles forged a deciding Game 3 with a 25-21, 25-20, 26-24 triumph earlier.
Ateneo-Motolite coach Oliver Almadro credited his team’s fierceness especially in the crunch, where they untied themselves from 22-all in the third set en route to the match win.
“We know that we’re facing a veteran team and I’m proud that my players were brave (today),” said Almadro.
“They just showed that even if they’re down, they can still do it,” he added.
Coming off a 25-23, 25-19, 21-25, 19-25, 15-6 semifinal loss in Game 1 last Wednesday, Ateneo-Motolite regrouped by turning to Ponggay Gaston to deliver the goods with hard smashes.
Gaston fired 11 points, all from attacks.
An overset from Fen Emnas proved to be crucial as it gave Ateneo-Motolite the 25-24 lead in the third. The Lady Eagles took that opportunity but surviving the long rally with a double block from Bea De Leon and Kat Tolentino on Dzi Gervacio for the win.
Tolentino finished with 10 points built on seven spikes and three blocks while De Leon chipped in eight points.
Gervacio, meanwhile, was the lone double-digit scorer for BanKo-Perlas with 14 points. (Genalyn Kabiling)
