The Creamline Cool Smashers secured a spot in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference quarterfinals after staging a stunning comeback to defeat the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, 25-16, 25-19, 31-29, on Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Trailing by nine points in the third set, the Cool Smashers demonstrated their championship mettle, clawing back to clinch the set and match, improving their record to 5-2.
The victory keeps Creamline firmly in the playoff hunt, with only one match left in the crossover round against the winless ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles on Thursday.
The Flying Titans, now at 2-5, saw their quarterfinal hopes dwindle as they remained in ninth place, trailing the eighth-ranked Farm Fresh Foxies (3-4).
Choco Mucho appeared poised to extend the match when they surged to a 23-14 lead in the third set. However, Creamline, responding to the challenge from coach Sherwin Meneses, mounted a relentless rally to turn the tide.
“Mga beterano na kayo, alam niyo na ang gagawin diyan,” Meneses reminded his players, urging them to rely on their experience.
The Cool Smashers delivered in dramatic fashion. After closing the gap to 19-23, Creamline’s strategic plays and pressure led to a series of crucial points. Despite Choco Mucho’s attempts to seal the set, with Royse Tubino putting her team at set point twice, the Cool Smashers refused to buckle.
Erica Staunton’s crucial combination play and Bea de Leon’s block on Tubino were pivotal, giving Creamline its first lead in the set.
The Flying Titans saved four match points, but Creamline’s Pangs Panaga blocked Tubino to set up a sixth match point, followed by Staunton’s decisive kill that sealed the match.
Bernadeth Pons continued her stellar play, filling the void left by the absence of Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, and Alyssa Valdez. Pons led the Cool Smashers with 12 points, showcasing a versatile offensive arsenal.
“Honestly, I just leaned on my teammates,” Staunton said after the match. “Just knowing that we’re going to do it together, I really appreciate all the confidence they had in me.”
The match, witnessed by 9,429 fans including sports celebrities and Olympian rower Joanie Delgaco, saw Creamline control the first two sets with precision.
Despite a strong push from Choco Mucho in the second set, the Cool Smashers held firm, with Pons leading the charge and capitalizing on the Flying Titans’ errors.
In the third set, Choco Mucho, spearheaded by Dindin Manabat and Zoi Faki, appeared to be in control before Creamline’s remarkable comeback.
Staunton finished with 19 points, with solid contributions from Michele Gumabao and de Leon, who added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
On the other side, Choco Mucho’s Tubino, Maddie Madayag, and Mars Alba combined for 15 points, while Manabat added 10 points.
Despite their efforts, the Flying Titans now face an uphill battle in their remaining matches.
Choco Mucho must defeat the PLDT High Speed Hitters in straight sets on Thursday and hope for a loss by the Farm Fresh Foxies to the unbeaten Akari Chargers on Tuesday to force a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Petro Gazz wins Five-Set Thriller
The Petro Gazz Angels bolstered their quarterfinal chances in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference with a hard-fought five-set victory over the PLDT High Speed Hitters, 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14, on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The victory extended the Angels’ winning streak to three, pushing their record to 4-3, tying them with the idle Capital1 Solar Spikers for sixth place.
The win comes on the heels of their recent comeback victory against Creamline, demonstrating the team’s resilience.
“These two five-set wins highlight the players’ resilience and attitude,” said Petro Gazz assistant coach Stephen Patrona.
“Overcoming these tough matches will hopefully boost the team’s confidence as we approach the finish. This win is a big deal for us.”
Petro Gazz showcased its determination, bouncing back from a 1-2 set deficit to clinch the match in the fifth set.
The loss, while not overly damaging for the High Speed Hitters, who are already assured a spot in the knockout stage with a 5-2 record, served as a reminder of the competitive nature of the upcoming rounds.
Cuban import Wilma Salas delivered a standout performance, scoring a career-high 40 points, surpassing her previous best of 37 points set in 2019. Her dominant play, particularly in the fifth set where she contributed seven points, was pivotal in securing the Angels’ victory.
Salas capped her night with a decisive backrow attack that broke a 14-all tie, setting the stage for Brooke Van Sickle’s match-clinching spike.
“The team’s motivation is what drives me,” Salas said. “When we step onto the court, it’s about staying together, not just winning or losing. That’s the strength of Petro Gazz, and I’m proud of the team.”
Van Sickle, who added 32 points to the Angels’ tally, emphasized the importance of staying calm and focused under pressure.
“I tried to stay calm and contribute in every way I could—whether it was hitting or defense,” Van Sickle said. “It’s all about staying focused and helping the team.”
PLDT’s locals, led by Kiesha Bedonia, stepped up as import Elena Samoilenko began to tire. Bedonia’s back-to-back kills tied the score at 14 in the fifth set, creating a tense final exchange.
However, the High Speed Hitters ultimately fell short, as Salas and Van Sickle’s exceptional performances carried Petro Gazz to victory.
The fifth set was a nail-biter, featuring eight deadlocks and two lead changes. Key plays by Van Sickle and Salas, coupled with a critical miscommunication between Kim Fajardo and Mika Reyes on the PLDT side, allowed the Angels to maintain their advantage and close out the match.
Petro Gazz outperformed PLDT with 80 attack points to 70 and tallied nine kill blocks compared to PLDT’s six.
The Angels also served five aces while conceding three and managed to overcome 23 unforced errors, a higher tally than PLDT’s 17.
Van Sickle also contributed 10 excellent digs, while Salas added 21 receptions to her stat line.
For PLDT, Samoilenko led with 25 points, followed by Erika Santos with 18 points, and contributions of eight points each from Reyes, Majoy Baron, Fiola Ceballos, and Bedonia.
Chery Tiggo Sweeps ZUS Coffee
The Chery Tiggo Crossovers secured their place in the quarterfinals of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference with a commanding straight-sets victory over the winless ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After a grueling five-set loss to the Choco Mucho Flying Titans earlier in the week, the Crossovers rebounded in style, improving their record to 5-2. This win not only ensures their advancement to the knockout phase but also temporarily places them in fourth position behind Akari (7-0), Cignal (6-1), and PLDT (5-1).
Chery Tiggo controlled the match from the start, with only a few moments of resistance from ZUS Coffee in the third set.
The Thunderbelles, now 0-7, struggled to find their rhythm against the well-organized Crossovers, who dominated both in attack and defense.
Import Kath Bell once again led the charge for Chery Tiggo, delivering 28 points, marking her third-best performance of the conference.
Bell’s powerful hits and decisive plays, particularly in the closing stages of the sets, were crucial in maintaining the Crossovers’ momentum.
“I’m so proud of the team. I admire their attitude and motivation to bounce back. They really worked hard,” Bell said, reflecting on the team’s efforts following their recent defeat.
Chery Tiggo coach Kungfu Reyes acknowledged the importance of the victory but emphasized the need for further improvements as they prepare for tougher competition in the quarterfinals.
“Even though we won, there are still many adjustments to be made,” Reyes said. “We’ll review our plays for the quarters. While our play patterns were effective today, we need to address some lapses in our training sessions.”
Supporting Bell’s stellar performance, Mylene Paat contributed 11 points, while Cess Robles added seven markers.
Cza Carandang, Seth Rodriguez, and Pauline Gaston each chipped in four points, rounding out a well-balanced attack for the Crossovers.
For the struggling ZUS Coffee, Asaka Tamaru led the way with 12 points, while Michelle Gamit added nine. Sharya Ancheta, Gayle Pascual, and Dolly Verzosa combined for 13 points, but their efforts fell short as the Thunderbelles failed to secure a single set.
With this defeat, the Thunderbelles are now officially out of playoff contention, having suffered their seventh straight loss.
Chery Tiggo will conclude their crossover round against Petro Gazz on Thursday, looking to fine-tune their game and secure a favorable position heading into the quarterfinals.
Upcoming Games: Tuesday (FilOil EcoOil Centre, San Juan)
1 p.m. – Galeries Tower vs. Capital1
3 p.m. – Nxled vs. Cignal
5 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs. Akari
