It was a tough week for Creamline as one of their main spikers, Tots Carlos, suffered a minor hamstring injury. However, with Carlos playing limited, Jema Galanza stepped up and led the Cool Smashers to a huge bounce back victory against Chery Tiggo on Saturday night.
Galanza fired 25 points on 22 attacks, two aces, and a block, along with 13 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions, to lift Creamline past the Crossovers, 17-25, 25-11, 25-19, 25-21 in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena.
In an interview after the game, Galanza shared how the team had to double their efforts to make up for Carlos' absence.
"Because this week, we really had some problems to deal with. Tots Carlos, who is one of Creamline's main spikers, was absent for a few days, so we really needed to double our efforts to avoid the entire team from struggling," said Galanza.
Despite the pressure, Galanza shared that she enjoyed the game and the competition.
"Actually, I just enjoy the game because every game is really a beautiful and competitive match, so I just enjoy it," she added.
Despite their manpower woes, Creamline is still determined to fight and secure two more wins to enter the All-Filipino Conference semifinals.
"We're still here, taking it one point at a time. If we can get two consecutive wins, it would be better. I think that's where we can adjust because the games are really close, and our practices are also closely contested," said Meneses.
As Creamline moves forward in the competition, fans can expect the team to continue to battle through injuries and give it their all in every game.
