Creamline moves closer to finals

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte, Philippines — Creamline has never lost a game when it goes to a five-setter. The Cool Smashers are not about to lose this one now.

Creamline drew strength from Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza in the deciding set as it eked out a come-from-behind 27-29, 25-23, 15-25, 25-17, 16-14 win over Petro Gazz yesterday to move closer to the finals of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center here.

Carlos, who finished with a game-high 23 points including 22 kills, and Galanza combined for nine points in the final set to help seal for the Cool Smashers a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three semifinal showdown.

Creamline, which topped the elimination round with an 8-1 (win-loss) record, will go for the jugular in today’s Game Two.

If necessary, a decider is set tomorrow.

“Tots is very, very aggressive not only in terms of attacking and the energy she brings. Well-deserved yung pagka-player of the game niya,” said Creamline skipper Alyssa Valdez.

“We’re just really happy Jema really fulfilled her role mapa-floor defense, receive or spiking, she’s just always there,” she added.

The Cool Smashers also preserved their unbeaten record of four wins whenever a game ends up in five sets. They also came back from 1-2 down to beat Black Mamba Army, Choco Mucho and Perlas in five.

Valdez also credited the crucial adjustments they made in the fourth set as key.

“We just really listened to our coaches kasi there were some adjustments in the middle of the game, we’re just really happy at that moment na na-apply din namin,” said Valdez.

Carlos started out on a wrong foot and committed critical mistakes in the opening set when Creamline blew a 23-20 lead.

But she found a way to calm down and returned in the critical part of the game and delivered the points that mattered by drilling in six points in the fifth set.

Tied at 13, Carlos unloaded a kill before Galanza put on the finishing touch with a crisp spike of her own.

“Nakita nyo naman sa first set, bumaba laro ko. Kinalma ko lang talaga sarili ko, nag meditation ako, nag relax, lahat ng pwede gawin para kumalma ako ginawa ko,” said Carlos. “’Yung mantra talaga ni coach Tai na happy, happy sobra effective talaga.”

Creamline survived Myla Pablo’s season-best performance but she slowed down in the final two sets when the Cool Smashers went to Valdez and eventually Carlos and Galanza.