Zhetysu of Kazakhstan showcased its superiority on all fronts, overpowering Creamline with a commanding 25-16, 25-17, 25-17 straight-set win to move closer to a quarterfinal berth in Pool A of the AVC Women’s Volleyball Champions League at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Monday.
From the first serve to the final point, the debuting Zhetysu imposed its will, utilizing a potent combination of crisp, high-powered attacks and suffocating net defense that consistently shut down Creamline’s offense. The Kazakhs’ height and quickness proved decisive, as they controlled the tempo and flow of the match with ease.
The Cool Smashers, despite their pedigree as 10-time Premier Volleyball League champions, struggled to find offensive rhythm under the unrelenting pressure from Zhetysu’s wall-like blockers. Though Creamline managed to stay afloat at times – benefiting from a handful of service errors by the Kazakhs – Zhetysu’s edge in hitting efficiency and front-row dominance remained unchallenged.
Zhetysu VC’s sheer firepower and airtight blocking left little doubt about its stature as a Pool A frontrunner. With another match against Al Naser Club of Jordan on Tuesday, the Kazakhs are poised to formalize their hold on the top seed and advance to the quarterfinals unbeaten.
Meanwhile, a Zhetysu victory would also ensure Creamline a quarterfinal spot with a 1-1 record, following its own sweep of Al Naser last Sunday.
However, an Al Naser upset over Zhetysu would result in a three-way tie at 1-1, with the top two teams to be determined via tiebreaker.
Tatyana Nikitina took charge for Zhetysu VC with 14 points, all from attacks, and finished with nine excellent digs in the commanding one-hour, 10-minute victory.
Karyna Denysova scored 12 points, while Valeriya Yakutina led the Kazakhs' impenetrable net defense, coming through with eight of the team's 11 blocks. She also had three attacks and an ace for a total of 12 points.
Zhetysu head coach Marko Grsic revealed that the team meticulously studied the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals to prepare for their clash with the Cool Smashers – a strategy that paid off handsomely.
Their preparation, bolstered by experience facing Creamline imports Anastassiya Kolomoyets and Anastasiya Kudryashova in the Kazakh Volleyball League, gave them a tactical edge in the Sports Vision-organized tournament, backed by federation partners Mikasa, Mizuno, and Grand Sport, and supported by PLDT, MWell, Eagle Cement, Rebisco, Akari, Gameville, PNVF, PSC, Cignal, and The Look Group.
“Before we arrived, I reviewed the final matches of the Philippine championship. We already knew what Creamline’s foreign players could do – they played in Kazakhstan,” said Grsic. “We were very, very prepared.”
That familiarity translated to near-flawless execution. Zhetysu neutralized Creamline’s key threats and capitalized on their scouting efforts.
American import Erica Staunton led the Cool Smashers with nine points, while Kolomoyets and Kudryashova were limited to six and five points, respectively.
Among the locals, Alyssa Valdez and Bernadeth Pons led with four points apiece, while Pangs Panaga and Lorie Bernardo chipped in three markers each.
