Creamline moved on the threshold of a sweep of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference elims, fighting back from a tough first-set loss then outdueling a game Akari side in the last two to annex a 26-28, 25-14, 25-23, 25-22 victory at the Philsports Arena in Pasig Thursday night.
Their 10th straight win likewise all but secured the Cool Smashers the top spot in the Final Four that includes the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers. Creamline’s last elims opponent is Galeries Tower, which earlier edged Gerflor in five, on Tuesday.
The defending champions used their firepower after that first-set slip, finishing with 67 attack points, led by Tots Carlos’ 21 points and Jema Galanza’s 14. The Chargers posted only 38 points, including 13 from Dindin Manabat although they kept the game close at the end of the third and fourth sets.
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses highlighted the challenge of facing taller opponents but commended his wards’ fighting spirit and readiness for such kind of tests.
“Talagang napalaban kami kasi nga malalaki sila. Mahirap talaga kapag medyo matangkad yung kalaban kasi yung team namin hindi naman ganun kalaki,” said Meneses.
“Katulad lagi ng sinasabi ko sa kanila, hindi naman namin hawak yung situation every point. So ready lang kami sa mga sitwasyon na ganun, balik lang kami sa court para matraining yung lapses. Pero yung sitwasyon na ganun talagang ‘di naman natin mapipigilan kasi nageensayo din yung kabila talaga,” added Meneses.
Carlos wound up with 23 points while Galanza backed her up with 16 markers and Pangs Panaga added 12 points, the last an imposing kill block off Manabat that ended the two-hour, 13-minute match.
Erika Raagas scored 10 points while Fifi Sharma finished with nine markers for the Chargers, who played without top hitter Faith Nisperos.
Despite the absence of Nisperos, Akari still flashed its superb blocking, doubling Creamline’s eight-block output with 16 but the Cool Smashers pounced on their rivals’ shaky service reception and netted six aces.
In contrast, Creamline yielded not a single ace to underscore its solid reception.
Kyle Negrito also orchestrated the Cool Smashers’ offense with aplomb, finishing with 17 excellent sets while Kyla Atienza and Galanza took care of their floor defense with 12 and 11 excellent digs, respectively, for a total of 53, 14 more than the Chargers.
Creamline dominated Akari to draw level after two sets then played with great resolve and composure in the next two frames to frustrate their rivals, who wound up with a 5-6 slate.
The Cool Smashers trailed, 19-20, in the fourth but scored six of the last eight points, capped by a Galanza blast off a combo play and Panaga’s block off Manabat.
Out of the semis race, the Chargers surprised the Cool Smashers with a big start, leading by as many as 10 points. Though the crowd favorites bounced back and saved three set points, the Chargers pulled off the squeaker behind Manabat, who finished with seven points in the set, and Sharma.
But the Cool Smashers struck back in the second as Galanza picked herself up from a measly one-hit showing in the first set and led the Cool Smashers’ big bounce-back win.
