Its championship mettle tested repeatedly by a determined Chery Tiggo squad, Creamline relied on its experience and deep bench to escape with a gritty 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 victory Saturday night and clinch a semifinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The two-hour, 16-minute win sent the Cool Smashers to the Final Four alongside the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and Akari Chargers, with the last slot to be decided between the Petro Gazz Angels and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in a sudden-death match Tuesday at Philsports Arena.
Trailing 15-22 in the fourth set, the Crossovers mounted a spirited comeback led by Seth Rodriguez, capitalizing on Creamline errors to close the gap to 22-24.
With the game on the line, Kyle Negrito set up Bea de Leon for a quick middle attack — a play that had worked flawlessly all match — to seal the win and extend Creamline’s semifinal streak to 17 consecutive PVL conferences.
“We trusted each other and worked hard to bring back our good vibes and energy after a slow start,” said de Leon, who finished with 14 points, including five blocks, and was named Best Player of the Game.
“We believed in the system. Coach Sherwin (Meneses) gave us clear instructions, and we focused on executing them.”
Creamline’s depth proved critical, especially in the 37-minute third set, where Meneses made key substitutions by inserting Jema Galanza and Michelle Gumabao, sparking a momentum shift against the relentless Crossovers.
With the set tied at 19, Galanza broke Chery Tiggo’s rhythm with a powerful hit, followed by a smart drop ball that keyed a 4-1 Creamline surge for a 23-21 lead.
Robles answered with her third straight kill, but Gumabao, known for her clutch plays, hammered a shot that bounced off a defender and into the stands, then capped the set with a precision strike past two blockers.
It was a showcase of Creamline’s championship pedigree — poised, experienced, and backed by a bench that rises in the toughest moments.
After falling behind 0-3 early in the fourth, the Cool Smashers surged to an 18-12 lead behind de Leon, Bernadeth Pons, Tots Carlos and Pangs Panaga.
Chery Tiggo coach Norman Miguel called a final timeout to regroup his squad, and the Crossovers responded with a late rally but ran out of steam.
Creamline, battle-tested in crunch time, held firm to secure the victory — adding to a legacy that includes 10 conference titles and a historic Grand Slam.
Pons led Creamline with 18 points, while Carlos matched de Leon’s 14-point output. Panaga added eight, and Alyssa Valdez and Negrito chipped in six points apiece.
Rodriguez stood out for Chery Tiggo with 16 points and five blocks, stepping up as top scorers struggled. Robles added 14 points, and Ara Galang contributed 11.
Shaya Adorador was limited to seven points after cramping in the crucial third set.
Creamline led the spiking battle, 56-47, while Chery Tiggo had the edge in blocking, 12-7, thanks to early defensive intensity.
Negrito outperformed counterpart Alina Bicar in playmaking, 25 excellent sets to 19, as the Cool Smashers completed a sweep of the Crossovers following their straight-set win in Game 1 of the best-of-three series Tuesday.
