Creamline doubled up on its attack and reduced Cignal HD to a virtual shooting target, fashioning out a surprisingly easy 25-17, 25-15, 25-22 victory to edge closer to the finals of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Monday.
With their vaunted firepower coming into the fore from all angles, the Cool Smashers needed just an hour and 22 minutes to get back at the HD Spikers in a duel of fancied teams which came out off a pair of mind-draining five-setters over separate rivals over the weekend.
But the recent Open Conference champions, who battled back from two sets down to stun the PLDT High Speed Hitters at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, proved up to the task, so energized and focused on nailing a third straight win and seizing firm control of the five-team semifinals.
The victory thus set Creamline on track for the crown of the mid-season conference, which stakes not only the title but also the right to represent the country in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Cup for Women firing off Aug. 21 at Philisports Arena in Pasig.
While the Cool Smashers were on fire at the onset, blasting in crisp kills from both sides, the HD Spikers struggled all game, their offense virtually off and their defense in near disarray.
Tots Carlos exploded for another 21-point game while Jema Galanza banged away 11 hits and Celine Domingo stepped up to fire nine points as veteran Alyssa Valdez settled for a seven-point game while playing backup the majority of the way.
Jia de Guzman also produced 26 excellent sets for Creamline while counterpart Gel Cayuna uncharacteristically struggled for just 10.
No HD Spikers hit double figures to typify their sloppy offense with Ces Molina and Roselyn Doria finishing with just eight points apiece and skipper Rachel Anne Daquis groping for five hits.
Creamline, which put in a 50-attack point game against Cignal’s 25, shoots for a semis sweep against Kingwhale-Taipei on Friday back at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Earlier, the lone visiting guest squad, a blend of young and veteran players, subdued Army Black Mamba behind Brazilian import Bea Flavio de Carvalho, scoring a 26-24, 25-18, 26-24 victory in a rousing PVL debut.
Cignal, which repulsed Creamline in four in the elims and survived Army in five last Saturday, absorbed its second loss in three games, putting the HD Spikers in a must-win game against Kingwhale-Taipei on Saturday, also at Filoil.
Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos tried new combinations midway in the second frame, to no avail, as Valdez joined Creamline’s offensive spree, helping anchor another decisive 11-2 run that led to another trouble-free win.
Hard-pressed to deliver and extend the match, the HD Spikers took the lead for the first time in the first technical timeout in the third, 8-5, on Daquis’ back-to-back hits. But the Cool Smashers uncorked a big 9-3 run to wrest control at 14-11 and never looked back with Domingo, foiled in a previous 1-2 play, wrapping up the match on a quick attack.
