Creamline’s superior firepower and championship experience proved too much for Galeries Tower as the Cool Smashers pounded out a 25-15, 26-24, 25-19 victory in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Thursday.
Determined to strike back from their previous five-set loss to the PLDT High Speed Hitters, which snapped their remarkable 19-game winning streak, the Cool Smashers wasted no time asserting their dominance. Save for their second set struggle, they overwhelmed the Highrisers with their offensive arsenal and veteran poise to clinch the one-hour, 39-minute victory.
The win secured Creamline’s position as the No. 1 seed, closing the preliminaries with an impressive 10-1 record. With a staggering 10 championship titles under their belt, including three consecutive All-Filipino crowns, the Cool Smashers sent a clear message that they remain the team to beat in the league organized by Sports Vision.
Petro Gazz also looked to finish with a 10-1 record but Creamline will still clinch the No. 1 spot with superior set win points against Petro Gazz, 29-27.
The Cool Smashers spiked their way back to the top seed at the end of the prelims, fueled by a sensational Alysa Valdez-Tots Carlos show that turned the tide in a thrilling second-set comeback.
Down 11-19, Creamline’s star duo staged a dramatic fightback, flipping the script to clinch the extended set and take a commanding 2-0 lead in a match they were heavily favored to win.
Despite suffering a 10-point blowout (25-15) in the opening frame, the Highrisers responded with grit in the next as Ysa Jimenez took charge on offense and Roselle Baliton imposed her presence at the net, effectively neutralizing Valdez and slowing down Creamline’s attack.
Their tenacity propelled Galeries Tower to a 19-11 advantage, and although the Cool Smashers attempted to rally, the Highrisers held firm at 22-15.
Then came the turning point.
Valdez and Carlos ignited Creamline’s fightback, capitalizing on precise high-ball sets from Kyle Negrito. Valdez struck twice from the left wing, while Carlos answered from the right, hammering four straight points.
The Cool Smashers roared back to tie the set at 22, and from there, Valdez took over, blasting three consecutive hits to push Creamline to set point at 24-22.
But Galeries Tower refused to fold. Jho Maraguinot and Andrea Marzan clawed back to force an extension, briefly halting the Cool Smashers' charge. However, Carlos and Valdez had the final say – Carlos, momentarily taking on playmaking duties, set up Valdez for the decisive kill, sealing the set and dashing the Highrisers' hopes.
With momentum fully on their side, Creamline wasted no time in the third set. The Cool Smashers stormed ahead with a blistering 5-0 start, capped by a service ace from Pangs Panaga, ensuring there would be no repeat of their second-set struggles.
The Cool Smashers stayed in firm control the rest of the way, clinching the set and the match on a Pau Soriano kill to the delight of Creamline’s fans.
“It was a great game from both sides, but in the end, our fundamentals held up, and all the hard work we put into our system over the past few days paid off,” said Valdez, who delivered a vintage performance with 16 points, earning her the Best Player of the Game honors.
Carlos topscored with 18 points while Bea de Leon added six markers and Jema Galanza and Pangs Panaga contributed five points apiece.
Reflecting on their incredible comeback, Valdez emphasized their focus on staying present in each rally, following coach Sherwin Meneses’ instructions.
“We just took it one point at a time, as coach Sherwin always reminds us. Fortunately, the momentum shifted in our favor, and we were able to capitalize on it to close out the set,” added Valdez.
She also acknowledged the difficulty of fighting back from a deep deficit, saying, “It’s never easy to be in that kind of situation, but we just kept pushing until we found our rhythm.”
Baliton showed the way for Galeries Tower with 10 points, including five kill blocks, while Ysa Jimenez, France Ronquillo, and Jho Maraguinot all scored six markers and Jewel Encarnacion and Andrea Marzan finished with five points apiece for the Chameleons.
As the elimination round wraps up, Creamline now awaits its opponent in the qualifying phase, set to face the No. 12 team – either Galeries Tower, Nxled, or Capital1– depending on the final prelims results. The six victors from this round will advance to the quarterfinals, while the losing teams will battle for the last two QF spots in a unique play-in tournament.
Meanwhile, the loss sent Galeries Tower (1-10) into a tie with Capital1, though the Highrisers managed to edge ahead in ranking based on superior set-win points (11-8). They will now brace for a tough matchup against the third-seeded squad as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive.
