Creamline unleashed its championship firepower and trademark composure to sweep Akari, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18, before a roaring crowd of 19,106 at the SM Seaside Cebu Arena late Saturday, extending its impressive run since reclaiming the PVL All-Filipino crown last April.
Armed with a deep arsenal of attackers, a disciplined net defense and the poise of a battle-tested champion, the Cool Smashers dictated the tempo from the opening serve, overwhelming the Chargers with their variety of attacks and refusing to crack when challenged in the second set.
It was a performance that underscored the value of continuity and chemistry. One of the few teams that made minimal changes to its roster during the offseason, Creamline drew strength from a seasoned core whose experience and familiarity with one another have helped fuel its 11-championship haul in the league.
After encountering little resistance in a seven-point opening-set romp, Creamline appeared headed for an even more comfortable finish in the second frame, racing to a commanding 21-12 lead behind its relentless attack and steady floor defense.
But Akari refused to go quietly.
The Chargers mounted a blistering seven-point counter-run, sparked by Ivy Lacsina and capped by a wayward attack by Jema Galanza on the opposite side, to trim the deficit to two and suddenly breathe life into the contest.
Sensing the momentum shift, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses called consecutive timeouts to halt Akari’s surge. Yet the Chargers continued to press, with Lacsina finding the floor with a soft touch before Mary Rhose Dapol fired an ace that put the Cool Smashers under pressure at 21-22.
That was when Creamline’s championship poise came to the fore.
Bea de Leon stemmed the tide with a quick attack, while Galanza quickly shook off her earlier miscue and answered with a clutch crosscourt hit. She followed it up with another punishing spike that spun off a defender and landed in Zone 1, bringing the Cool Smashers to set point.
Akari finally buckled under the pressure, misplaying a Creamline serve before Lorie Bernardo made no mistake in hammering home the overpass for the set-clinching point and a commanding 2-0 lead.
The Cool Smashers carried that momentum into the third, again leaning on their superior firepower and defensive discipline to prevent the Chargers from building any sustained rally. With scoring threats coming from multiple fronts, Creamline kept Akari guessing, controlled the exchanges at the net and steadily pulled away to complete the straight-sets victory.
More than just a sweep – in stark contrast to the five-set thriller between Choco Mucho and Capital1 – it was the manner of Creamline’s triumph that truly stood out. The Cool Smashers blended offensive firepower with defensive tenacity. When Akari threatened to steal the second set, Creamline displayed championship poise, delivering the decisive blows before any momentum could slip away.
The outcomes of the first two matches only heightened the intrigue in the Siklab Series under the all-to-play format, the three-conference race for the All-Filipino crown, with sister teams Choco Mucho and Creamline making early statement in their latest title campaign in the league organized by Sports Vision.
