Creamline, F2 eye early PVL semis lead

Games Thursday
(Philsports Arena)

9:30 a.m. – Gerflor vs Foton (Classification)
12 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Akari (Classification)
4 p.m. – Cignal vs PLDT (Semifinals)
6:30 p.m. – F2 vs Creamline (Semifinals)

MANILA, Philippines – Creamline and F2 Logistics aim to gain the early headway in the race for the two finals spots as they face off in Thursday’s start of the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference semifinals at the PhilSports Arena.

Thanks to a novel format that allowed the team’s result against its fellow pool member in the group stage to be carried over into the second round, the Cool Smashers and the Cargo Movers have entered the semis with 1-0 marks and the share of the lead.

And the winner in their 6:30 p.m. showdown will zoom to the early lead.

Creamline is riding high on its magnificent showing early in the conference after it swept Pool A in four games in booking its place in the semis where it owns a league record 13th straight appearance.

F2, in contrast, wound up only second in Pool B with Cignal on 4-1 identical records but the former beat the latter to gain the early edge.

The Creamline-F2 duel should be an epic one as the two franchises own the league’s deepest benches.

On one hand there’s the Cool Smashers’ fearsome combo of uber-powerful hitters in Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, skipper Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, Ced Domingo, Jeanette Panaga and Risa Sato have wreaked havoc on every team they crossed.

It was all anchored on the sweet, amazing facilitation of best setter race leader Jia de Guzman.

On the other there’s the Cargo Movers' equally dreaded attacking combo of Kianna Dy, Ivy Lacsina, Majoy Baron and team captain Aby Marano have created problems against the opposition.

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses stressed that the more prepared team would come out victorious.

“Kailangan naming paghandaan lahat ng teams sa semis,” said Meneses.

For F2 mentor Regine Diego, it's all about the body and mind.

"Mental-preparation. We have to also prepare din sa kondisyon ng katawan. I need to prepare them better mentally and psychologically dahil may mga baon pa yung katawan nila," she said.

Also eyeing to bolster its finals bid are sister teams Cignal and PLDT, who came in with 0-1 records and the winner in their 4 p.m. faceoff would catapult it back into the thick of things.

Meanwhile, the foreign squads — the Linh Bac-Bac Ninh of Vietnam and the Kurashiki Ablaze of Japan — will debut on Saturday against each other.

The top two in the six-team semis will fight it out for the crown in a knockout game on July 30 also in the Pasig venue.