By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Creamline Cool Smashers proved they are the team to beat in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference after punching another grand finals ticket last March 21, 2023.
Creamline continued its mastery over the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers and handed them a sweeping loss in Game 2 of their semifinal clash, 25-22, 25-23, 25-16, held at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Eager to wrap up the series to avoid a grueling do-or-die third semifinal game, the no.1 seeded Cool Smashers stuck to their game plan and banked on the setting prowess of orchestrator Jia Morado-De Guzman for the second-straight time.
The former PHL national team setter ran Creamline’s attack to perfection once again after opening the first set with several combination plays involving Tots Carlos and Jeanette Panaga.
Out of all her well-timed executions, it was still her signature 1-2 play that turned into scores that highlighted her majestic outing to help the Cool Smashers book their fifth-straight championship series appearance in the PVL.
De Guzman finished the close-out victory with 23 excellent sets and two markers including five-straight dishes in their huge run in the final set.
Former Most Valuable Player (MVP) Carlos continued her scoring frenzy and top-scored for the Cool Smashers with 19 points built from 18 successful attacks.
Despite the return of F2’s star outside hitter Myla Pablo from an ankle sprain injury, the Cargo Movers still failed to match Creamline’s blazing offense and only won a total of one set in all seven sets in the two-game series.
Kim Kianna Dy was the only player to reach double-digits for the Cargo Movers and paced her team with 11 points while Ara Galang and Pablo each had nine markers.
‘Siguro big advantage sa amin yung sa Sunday pa yung game. Syempre dire-diretso na yung mga games sa eliminations hanggang sa semifinals tapos galing pa kaming Iloilo,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses.
The Cool Smashers will either face the Petro Gazz Angels or the PLDT High-Speed Hitters in the championship set to kick off on March 26, 2023.
