ILOILO – Creamline avoided the ignominy of a franchise-worst three-game skid in resounding fashion, turning back Chery Tiggo with a gutsy 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 25-18 win to cap its Pool B campaign on a high note in the PVL On Tour at the City of Passi Arena in Iloilo late Sunday.
The Cool Smashers emerged on top of a contentious challenge late in the fourth set after Pangs Panaga's hit struck the post, causing the net to hit Chery Tiggo’s rookie Renee Penafiel. A flurry of counter-challenges and clarifications followed, halting play and adding tension to the tight finish. With Creamline clinging to an 18-16 lead, head referee Bobby Celso ultimately ruled for a replay of the point, allowing play to resume.
Once the dust from the dispute settled, Creamline wasted no time asserting control. The Cool Smashers unleashed a decisive 7-2 finishing kick to wrap up the match in two hours and 12 minutes, snapping an alarming two-game skid and closing out their Pool B campaign with a 3-2 record.
With their backs against the wall after consecutive losses to Cignal and ZUS Coffee, the Cool Smashers dug deep and showed championship composure, instead inflicting the Crossovers their first defeat in four matches. The victory lifted Creamline to a 3-2 slate in the preliminaries, keeping its hopes for a quarterfinal slot alive while regaining a measure of its trademark swagger.
Michele Gumabao delivered three of the team’s final seven points, stepping up as Chery Tiggo faltered in the closing stretch. The Crossovers, who swept their first three games, including a four-set stunner over previously unbeaten Cignal last Saturday, fell to 3-1 and momentarily stalled in their quarterfinal push.
Chery Tiggo, however, remains in contention for an outright quarterfinal berth as it prepares to face ZUS Coffee in a crucial match on July 29 at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.
Alyssa Valdez dished out a vintage performance, firing 19 points to lead the Cool Smashers’ charge. Gumabao and Panaga each added 17 markers, while Jema Galanza finished with 13 points and rookie Sheena Toring added six points.
It was a tough defeat for the Crossovers, who responded impressively in the second set but wavered in the pivotal third. They stayed within striking distance in the fourth, but the late confusion and controversy seemed to rattle their rhythm, costing them both poise and momentum down the stretch.
Peñafiel, Ara Galang and Cess Robles each finished with 11 points to lead Chery Tiggo’s balanced attack, while Pauline Gaston contributed seven markers and veteran Aby Maraño added five.
But Creamline proved too dominant, imposing its will in key departments. The Cool Smashers outgunned the Crossovers in attacks, 60-48, controlled the net with an 8-5 edge in blocks, and overwhelmed them from the service line, 7-1 in aces.
Those advantages more than made up for Creamline’s erratic play, which saw the Cool Smashers give up 26 unforced errors – seven more than Chery Tiggo’s 19.
Fueled by urgency and pride, the Cool Smashers came out firing in the pivotal third frame, racing to a 7-3 start and never looking back. Held to a tight duel in the fourth, the Cool Smashers leaned on Valdez midway through the set, and the veteran delivered in classic fashion.
Valdez fired three of the team’s four consecutive points to break a 12-all count, powering Creamline to a 16-12 cushion at the second technical timeout and swinging the momentum firmly in their favor.
Valdez picked up where she left off after the restart, unleashing another attack to counter Galang’s hit that briefly halted Creamline’s run and snapped Chery Tiggo’s scoring spell. Rotating to the back row, the Cool Smashers skipper then set up Galanza for a thunderous kill, keeping Creamline comfortably ahead at 18-14 and firmly in control of the set.
But the Crossovers countered with consecutive points before their momentum was halted by that long lull.
In the third set, Creamline’s veteran core came alive at just the right time. Gumabao, Galanza, Valdez and Toring spearheaded the assault, combining timely hits with improved floor defense. They imposed their attacking edge, 13-9, in the third set while minimizing errors – just six, a marked improvement from their shaky start – to reclaim momentum.
Chery Tiggo tried to mount a fightback in the fourth, even briefly leading at 8-7 following a Penafiel block. But the Cool Smashers regrouped behind Panaga and Toring, whose quick attacks and presence at the net helped quell the threat. Galanza and Valdez then closed out strong with their wing assaults, aided by steady setting and relentless floor coverage.
While the victory didn’t guarantee Creamline an outright seat in the Last 8, it revived its campaign after what had been an uncharacteristic slide. Their straight-set loss to the HD Spikers and a five-set heartbreaker to the Thunderbelles had cast doubt on their form – but Sunday's bounce-back win sent a clear message: the Cool Smashers aren’t done yet.
