Cool Smashers out to stretch hot streak

MANILA, Philippines — Top meets bottom as unbeaten Creamline kicks off its second-round campaign in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference against winless Chef’s Classics today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

 The Cool Smashers had a virtual workout beating the Red Spikers, 25-12, 25-5, 25-15, last Aug. 18 en route to to an eight-game sweep of the first round. The defending champions could be in for another cruise  against the Red Spikers, still winless in seven games.

Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado will try to extend the team’s win run before joining the national team pool in a training camp in Thailand. Creamline will also rely on Michele Gumabao, Risa Sato, Jema Galanza and Celine Domingo against their young rivals, led by Nieza Viray and Justine Tiu, in their 2 p.m. clash.

The 4 p.m. match pits old rivals PacificTown Army and Air Force with the former seeking a third straight win and its fifth against three loss, and the latter raring to improve its 2-5 card and resuscitate its own bid in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

The Lady Troopers won their first two games but dropped the next three before recovering their bearing to beat Chef’s Classics and BaliPure in straight sets to get back into the thick of things at 4-3.

The Jet Spikers are also coming off a pair of victories that snapped a five-game skid, ripping the Red Spikers and upending the young Choco Mucho side in five sets last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Motolite and Choco Mucho hope to close out their first-round campaign on a winning note when they collide tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the San Juan arena.

BanKo-Perlas and BaliPure start their second round drive in the tournament backed by Mikasa, Asics and KFC, at 4 p.m. with the former (5-3) seeking to duplicate its scary five-set escape over the latter (2-6).