Perhaps it’s their championship pedigree, the weight of experience or just the unmistakable aura of invincibility they bring onto the court. Whatever it is, the four teams that stormed into the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League On Tour did so with the unmistakable stamp of authority – via clean, clinical sweeps.
In a tournament marked by early chaos – reversals, five-set thrillers, and a wave of unpredictability – the quarterfinals were a reset. The league’s top-tier squads flipped the script and brought everything back to form. Gone were the upsets. In their place: dominance, precision and inevitability.
The Creamline Cool Smashers, 10-time PVL champions and the league’s measuring stick for excellence, made their intentions clear right from the first whistle. They rattled off the opening seven points against the Farm Fresh Foxies, setting a blistering tone that never let up en route to a 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 romp before a roaring weekend crowd at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Set 3 finally delivered the thrill and suspense that had been missing from the earlier quarterfinal matches, as the defiant Foxies mounted a late charge. Trisha Tubu sparked the rally with a clutch block on Alyssa Valdez, followed by an off-the-block hit to save three match points and level the score at 24.
Their momentum surged after Michele Gumabao's attack sailed into the antenna – a rare miscue that ignited cheers and roars from the Foxies’ faithful.
But poise – the hallmark of Creamline’s dynasty – quickly reasserted itself. Gumabao made up for her earlier error with a blistering kill down the line, before Pangs Panaga sealed the deal with a service ace that clipped the net and caught the Foxies flat-footed.
It was a fortunate but fitting end to a tightly contested set, securing the Cool Smashers’ win and capping an improbable yet convincing quarterfinal sweep of the league’s top-ranked teams.
“I’m so happy that we made it to the semis. One goal at a time,” said setter Kyle Negrito, who earned Best Player of the Game honors with 21 excellent sets and six points, including a stunning five-ace feat, in a steady, all-around performance.
She credited discipline as the driving force behind Creamline’s continued rise.
“Disiplina sa training… pina-practice din namin ang service target, at happy ako na nagawa ko today,” she added.
For many, the Cool Smashers’ one-hour and 30-minute triumph over the young and scrappy Foxies – a win that secured their unprecedented 18th Final 4 appearance – came as no surprise. It was, in fact, what was expected of a team with Creamline’s track record. The Cool Smashers didn't just win; they imposed their will and reminded everyone why they remain the benchmark in Philippine women’s volleyball.
Now, Creamline sets up a mouthwatering semis duel with PLDT in a clash of power, composure and contrasting styles that promises to test both squads' mettle.
Gumabao led Creamline with 15 points, while Valdez and Jema Galanza provided solid support with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Panaga also contributed with seven markers in Creamline’s balanced attack.
Tubu spearheaded the offense for the Foxies with an impressive 20-point performance, also highlighted by three consecutive aces in the opening set. However, her late-game heroics fell short as Farm Fresh faltered down the stretch, where the Cool Smashers once again showcased their poise and championship pedigree.
Caitlin Viray and Rizza Cruz chipped in nine and six points, respectively, while Jolina Dela Cruz struggled to find her rhythm, finishing with only four markers.
Creamline narrowly edged Farm Fresh in attacks, 38-35, and both squads were even in blocks with four apiece. The key difference came from the service line, where Negrito shone, leading the Cool Smashers to rack up 10 aces – more doubling the Foxies’ tally of four.
Valdez added nine excellent receptions, while Galanza finished with six excellent digs, next to libero Kyle Atienza’s eight.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, lahat ng team ngayon lumalaban, so it’s better na bantayan natin ‘yung mga area natin individually,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses. “So, pag nagsama-sama ‘yun, magiging maganda ang resulta.”
Negrito was in masterful form, delivering four aces in a single set – a stat not seen in recent memory and a reflection of Creamline's overwhelming service pressure.
The Cool Smashers surged to a 16-10 lead, helped by a net violation from Farm Fresh’s rookie Alohi Robins-Hardy, who finished with 13 excellent sets, and whose powerful joust sent Panaga crashing to the floor. But the mishap did little to rattle the seasoned Cool Smashers.
Instead, they regrouped instantly and strung together another three-point burst to further widen the gap.
Despite a spirited mini-run that trimmed a huge deficit to just 19-23 in the opening frame, the Foxies couldn’t sustain their momentum as the Cool Smashers leaned on their veteran duo of Valdez and Galanza, who delivered a clutch kill and a powerful blast off a combination play to shut the door on Farm Fresh’s comeback bid.
Similar to the previous set, Creamline jumped to an 8-4 advantage at the first technical timeout and then strung together five straight points to widen the gap to 16-9. Once again, the Foxies responded with a three-point run to inch closer. However, the Cool Smashers countered with a strong finishing kick, punctuated by back-to-back hits from Valdez to close out the set.
Farm Fresh showed renewed energy and better transition play, staging several rallies late in the frame. But their momentum was derailed by service errors, committing three faults during their run – mistakes that helped Creamline cruise to a 2-0 set lead.
In the third set, the Cool Smashers came out firing with a 4-1 burst that ballooned to an 8-3 cushion, signaling another dominant showing. They maintained control throughout, with timely hits from Valdez, Galanza and Gumabao, along with occasional sparks from Panaga, effectively dousing every comeback attempt by the Foxies.
