Creamline sweeps Petro Gazz to seize finals berth

Game Tuesday
(PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center)
3 p.m. – Chery Tiggo vs Choco Mucho

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte — Creamline overpowered Petro Gazz, 27-25, 25-22, 25-16, Monday to claim the first finals berth in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference at the PCV Socio-Civic & Cultural Center here.

Tots Carlos unleashed a 20-point performance including 18 on spikes to power the Cool Smashers, who took Game One, 27-29, 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 16-14, Sunday, to a two-game sweep of the Angels and into the best-of-three finals unfolding Wednesday.

“It was a total team effort but Tots played really for us,” said Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez.

The Cool Smashers broke away in a tight third set duel to storm to leads of 16-9, 18-11 and 23-14 as the Angels cracked after reeling on a bad break, enabling Creamline to cruise to the straight-set triumph and a sweep of their best-of-three semifinal series.

The victory came on the heels of Creamline’s come-from-behind 27-29, 25-23, 16-25, 25-17, 16-14 squeaker in the series’ opener, keeping the Cool Smashers on track of the crown in the inaugural staging of the country’s pro volley league after ruling this tournament in the then semi-pro PVL before the pandemic scrapped the 2020 season.

“I don’t know…but I’m just really happy playing,” said Carlos as she gasped for air following another draining game that had her firing 21 points, a day after pouring in 23 hits and combining with Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao and Jema Galanza to pull off their tough Game One win.

Galanza finished with 12 points, Bang Pineda added 10 points while Risa Sato chipped in eight hits as Valdez practically let her teammates ran the show and settled for a nine-point output after a 25-point performance last Sunday.

"It's a total team effort," said Valdez. "All our coaches' reminders were on point and we were able to apply all of them." 

Displaying grace under pressure, the Cool Smashers survived the Angels in the extended opening frame, out-steadied their rivals in the stretch in the second and pulled away from a shaky 9-7 lead in the third when Valdez’s spike that didn’t hit the Petro Gazz blockers’ arms but the top of the net as seen in slow-mo replay was ruled an off-the-block hit, thus hiking the Cool Smashers' lead to three points.

It was downswing from there for the Angels, who failed to neutralize the Cool Smashers’ sustained firepower that came from all angles, enabling Creamline to post seven-point leads that proved too big for the former to overcome.

Petro Gazz likewise sorely missed Myla Pablo's offensive sock as the former National U standout finished with just three points after exploding for 26 hits in Game One. Ria Meneses top-scored for the Angels with nine points while Ces Molina added eight points and Remy Palma and Gretchel Soltonoes combined for 13 hits.