MANILA, Philippines – Creamline showed its readiness to face either Cignal or Petro Gazz in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference finals unfolding Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
“We’re expecting a tough series against any of the two but we will be ready,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.
The Cool Smashers’ vast experience was in total display in a 23-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-15 win that capped a two-game sweep of the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, their sister team, Sunday before a record crowd.
Creamline will come into the finals carrying with it an unblemished slate of five wins against either Cignal or Petro Gazz, who were battling each other in a do-or-die game for the last finals slot at press time.
Game Two is set Friday and a decider, if necessary, is on Sunday both at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The Cool Smashers will carry with them the stigma of their finals defeat to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte last season but they have high hopes they would find redemption in the finals.
“It has served as an extra motivation for our campaign this year and it showed in our games how much hard work we have put to get back to the finals,” said Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez. “All the players and the coaching staff are also focused.”
Backstopped by Valdez and the power-hitting duo of Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza, the Cool Smashers have lived up to expectations as they swept Pool B in Group B, rode roughshod of the Crossovers in the quarterfinals before bringing out the broom on the Flying Titans in the semis.
“It will be a different finals for us but we hope that we’ll be able to apply all the learning we had from all the bubble training and bubble setups,” said Valdez.
All throughout their finals run, the Cool Smashers have played in sync with top playmaker Jia De Guzman keeping their offense humming and their rivals’ defense guessing with her vast repertoire of set plays.
But with a slew of options to go to, any setter worth her salt would have little trouble throwing those feeds and getting the desired results.
Valdez, Carlos and Galanza have been switching places on the hitting zones with great enthusiasm and authority, Pangs Panaga, Celine Domingo and Risa Sato have taken care of the middle, and role players Kyle Negrito, Fille Cayetano, Rose Vargas, Pau Soriano and Rizza Mandapat have always been ready to step up at any given time.
Liberos Kyle Atienza and Ella de Jesus also provide the needed defense in the back row with their near-impeccable ball-control skills.