By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
When Tots Carlos is hot, she can be as destructive as a typhoon, capable of destroying all kinds of signals – even Cignal.
In what could be the latest highlight to a flourishing career, Carlos fired a career-high 38 points to lift Creamline to an epic come-from-behind 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 victory over Cignal Tuesday night, March 26, to seize the solo lead in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
The power-hitting Carlos capped her stellar performance by nailing four of the Cool Smashers’ last five points in the deciding fifth set where they battled back from three match points to snatch their sixth win in seven outings.
Down two sets to none, the well-loved franchise summoned enough courage and energy to mount a spirited comeback that saw them snaring the third and fourth sets and forcing a decider.
There, the Cool Smashers erased an 11-14 deficit with Carlos unloading a four-hit swing — a push, a kill, a drop and another spike — in snaring the dramatic comeback victory.
“I think we focused more on what’s happening in the present at nung nangyari nung first and second sets, we let go,” said Carlos.
“We really tried our best makabawi, masaya ako na nakita ko ang team na hindi talaga sumuko,” she added.
Jema Galanza also shone for the Cool Smashers with 14 points highlighted by 13 kills, while Bernadeth Pons and Pangs Panaga chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for the HD Spikers, who appeared headed to victory and handing the six-time league champions their second defeat before imploding in the end.
Instead, Cignal fell to 4-2 and outside the magic four despite the all-around efforts of Jovelyn Gonzaga, who led with 22 points, and the duo of Roselyn Doria and Ces Molina, who had 19 points apiece.
