By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Creamline Cool Smashers maintained its A-game in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference after demolishing the Galeries Tower in sweeping fashion, 25-22, 25-17, 25-15, on March 7, 2024, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
With the win, the Cool Smashers just joined the Cignal HD Spikers and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans as the only undefeated squads in the All-Filipino Conference, sharing an identical 3-0 record for the top spot.
Creamline bucked a slow start and survived a feisty fightback from the young Galeries squad when they inched closer in the final stretch of the opening set.
However, the more experienced Cool Smashers squad calmly restored order and went back to their usual offensive pattern, feeding Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos to survive Galeries.
After getting their groove from a shaky first set, the Cool Smashers just pounced on Galeries and displayed their signature offensive firepower.
Creamline also hosted a defensive clinic after only limiting Galeries to 32 points in the last two sets. Unlike the opening frame where the Tower franchise executed their efficient sets, the adjustment head coach Sherwin Meneses took effect and steered them to another dominant win.
Michele Gumabao had another solid outing for the Cool Smashers after top-scoring her squad with 10 points built from 11 successful attacks alongside three big blocks.
Backstopping Gumabao are Carlos and Alyssa Valdez who contributed nine and eight points, respectively, while eight other players also entered the scoring column for the Cool Smashers.
“Based sa performance kanina, okay naman. Nung third set, medyo malayo yung score. Okay naman. At least hindi masyado nagpabaya dun sa mga basic skills na ginagawa namin pa lagi,” said Meneses, Creamline’s head coach.
The Cool Smashers will aim to extend their winning streak to four straight games on March 12, 2024, as they take on the Strong Group Athletics in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader.
