Creamline repels ZUS Coffee

Games Saturday

(PhilSports Arena)

4 p.m. - Galeries Tower vs Chery Tiggo

6:3 p.m. - Cignal vs Petro Gazz

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline, load managing Tots Carlos, survived a feisty ZUS Coffee, 25-22, 28-30, 26-24, 17-25, 15-13, on Thursday to catch Cignal at the helm of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

The Cool Smashers nearly got punished for resting Carlos, one of their best, if not their best, players, and had to parry every attempt by the Thunderbelles to pull off a mammoth upset to snare their fourth win in a row.

Good thing Alyssa Valdez, the proud club’s heart and soul and unquestioned leader, turned back time, fired 17 points — her best effort in a long while after battling various injuries the last few years — and saved the day. Also coming through were Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza and Michele Gumabao, who scattered 17, 15 and 14 hits, respectively, for the dynastic champion seeking a magnificent five-peat feat and 11th crown.

“It’s not something we’re proud of kasi it extended into five sets but knowing ZUS Coffee, they really brought their A-game today, they played so well and we’re just happy and blessed nanalo kami,” said Valdez.

“It’s everybody’s ballgame in that fifth set, buti nanalo kami,” she added.

ZUS, mentored by Jerry Yee, had all the chances to pull off one of the biggest victories in the league today and even led, 11-9, in the deciding frame.

But showing nerves of steel, Creamline erased that deficit and fought its way back and survived.

The Thunderbelles, paced by an unlikely heroine in Kate Santiago, stumbled to 2-3.

After barely surviving the opening set and falling in a sinkhole in the second, Creamline fought back from a 1-5 disadvantage in the third frame to barely take the set and a 2-1 lead.

ZUS turned things around in the fourth and was in control in the fifth until disaster struck.