Cool Smashers target 6th win vs Flying Titans

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline tests sister team Choco Mucho’s mettle today in the Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan today.

The Cool Smashers have dropped just one set in a five-game winning streak capped by a 25-19, 28-26, 25-20 romp over Reinforced Conference tormentors PetroGazz Angels last week, and are heavily favored over the Flying Titans in their 6 p.m. encounter.

Choco Mucho, which like Creamline is bannered by former Ateneo stars, headed by the troika of Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag and Bea de Leon, has shown promise in its young campaign but is coming off a shutout loss to the BanKo-Perlas Spikers last Wednesday.

De Leon, the MVP in the last UAAP Finals, actually missed the team’s first four games as she is still working on her conditioning, according to coach Oliver Almadro.

But after beating fellow newcomer Chef’s Classic in four last week, Choco Mucho failed to match the veteran-laden Perlas Spikers’ power and class to drop to joint fifth with PetroGazz at 2-2 in the double-round robin elims among nine teams in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

In contrast, Creamline has been lording it over the field behind Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, Jema Galanza, Risa Sato and ace setter Jia Morado to remain as the lone unbeaten team in the conference backed by Mikasa, Asics and KFC.

Meanwhile, BaliPure and Chef’s Classic collide at 4 p.m. with the Water Defenders shooting for their second win in five games at the expense of the Red Spikers who are out to nail the elusive win after dropping their first four matches.

BaliPure actually broke a long winless spell, including 10 in the recent Reinforced meet, with a thrilling five-setter over Air Force last Aug. 21, only to bow to Motolite, also in three last Sunday.

Chef’s Classic, on the other hand, has won just one set in a four-set loss to Choco Mucho but the Red Spikers are going flat out against the Water Defenders in a bid to finally break into the win column.