Creamline squandered a two-set advantage but regained composure in the decisive fifth set to claim a hard-fought 25-19, 26-24, 23-25, 23-25, 15-9 victory over Cignal in their Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino marquee clash at the Philsports Arena on Saturday.
Despite the setbacks, the Cool Smashers remained resolute, clinching their seventh straight win. They showcased the power, poise and winning mentality that has defined their dominance, having earned 10 championships in 13 finals appearances.
With the victory, they kept their hopes alive for a potential sweep of the prelims.
Bernadeth Pons delivered another MVP-caliber performance, scoring 27 points, with the final one – a powerful down-the-line hit – sealing the win over the resilient HD Spikers and concluding the grueling two-hour, 52-minute battle between two of the league’s top teams.
In the end, the side with the deeper bench prevailed over the one with a thinner rotation, a result influenced by the sudden departure of two key players. However, the HD Spikers proved they are far from finished, with Vanie Gandler stepping up as the go-to player and rookie Ishie Lalongisip showing the potential of a future league star.
For now, the Cool Smashers continued to assert their dominance despite being dragged into a five-set battle for the second time. They will take on Chery Tiggo, Farm Fresh, PLDT and Galeries Tower in pursuit of a potential sweep of the prelims and the top seeding the knockout phase where the No. 1 team faces No. 12, No. 2 takes on No. 11, and so forth.
Pons, meanwhile, also showcased her defensive prowess, contributing 14 excellent digs to earn the Best Player of the Game honors.
"During the third set, our passing broke down, and our energy dipped," said Pons in Filipino, reflecting on their failure to complete a sweep in a match they were heavily favored to win.
When asked how she managed to excel both offensively and defensively while leading her team in crunch time, Pons said: “I just played my role and gave my best. But there’s still a lot to improve, and I’ll keep working hard.”
Tots Carlos and Bea de Leon backed Pons with 15 and 12 points, respectively, while Jema Galanza contributed nine points. Michele Gumabao, Kyle Negrito, and Pangs Panaga combined for 17 more markers.
Despite the loss – their third in five matches – the HD Spikers held their heads high for pushing the heavily favored Cool Smashers to a deciding set, which Creamline took control of with a strong 4-1 start.
Cignal refused to back down, continually mounting comebacks. However, each time the HD Spikers threatened, the Cool Smashers had an answer. Carlos, Galanza and Panaga stepped up to provide crucial support for Pons, with a key run also aided by a mishit from Vanie Gandler in the final stretch.
Gandler finished with 21 points, receiving solid support from Lalongisip (19 points), Jackie Acuña (16 points), and Rose Doria-Aquino (11 points). However, after securing tense wins in the third and fourth sets, the HD Spikers faltered in the decider. They struggled to match the Cool Smashers' strong start and couldn’t keep up with their rivals’ dominant finish.
Meanwhile, the second set, in particular, was a drawn-out affair, highlighted by an intense exchange of challenges and a contentious call at the end.
The controversy stemmed from a Cignal challenge for a block touch after they fought back from a two-point deficit to take a 24-23 lead, aided by several mistakes from the Cool Smashers. However, a Cignal misset in the next play led to an extension, and Galanza’s putaway off a rare Dawn Catindig flawed defense put the Cool Smashers at set point.
The challenge turned contentious when it was revealed that Cignal had no challenge options left. If the situation had occurred at the end of the play, only a yellow card should have been issued. However, since it took place mid-rally, the point should have been awarded to Creamline.
To resolve the issue and remove doubt, referee Marc Santos invoked the referee’s challenge, which confirmed that there had indeed been a block touch, awarding the point, the set, and a 2-0 lead to Creamline. The lengthy 54-minute set, one of the longest in league history, ended as both teams engaged in a gripping, tense battle, with Cignal’s late surge adding to the drama.
The first and third sets actually saw the HD Spikers control the early going. But while the Cool Smashers managed to complete their comeback in the opening frame, leaning on its net defense, the HD Spikers flashed endgame poise in the third to thwart their rivals’ stretch-run rally and sweep bid.
Racing to a 7-1 lead in the third set, the HD Spikers fended off several Creamline comebacks, the last of which saw the defending champions close in at 23-24 after trailing by as many as six points (17-23).
But Gandler had other plans. Stepping up as the team’s star player following the unexpected departures of former captain Ces Molina and top middle hitter Riri Meneses, Gandler delivered when it mattered most. She scored with an off-the-block hit to clinch the set, leveling the match and sending it to a fourth set.
