Creamline all but advanced to the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semis with a 25-23, 25-16, 25-21 victory over Nxled at the Philsports Arena in Pasig Thursday night, moving three wins away from completing a stirring elims sweep.
Bucking the Chameleons’ stiff resistance in the opening set, the Cool Smashers re-asserted their might in the next two, relying mostly on their vaunted attacking game to log their eighth straight win while ending the former’s hopes for a backdoor charge.
Jema Galanza also snapped a string of supporting efforts with a top-scoring 14-point showing, including 11 on attacks, while Michele Gumabao and Tots Carlos sustained their big-hitting ways and finished with 12 markers apiece.
Skipper Alyssa Valdez added seven points, also in a two-set stint, to help steer the defending champions to the one-hour, 25-minute romp.
Though the Cool Smashers, who peppered the Chameleons’ defense with 46 attack points, remained on top with an unbeaten slate, they still need to win one of the last three games to formalize their entry in post-elims play. They play the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Nov. 28, and face the Akari Chargers on Nov. 30 before closing out their elims campaign against the winless Galeries Tower Highrisers on Dec. 5.
“Masaya kami kasi lumalapit kami sa semis. Hindi ko alam kung enough yung eight wins, kasi medyo dikit-dikit,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses, who also acknowledged Nxled’s gutsy stand.
“Yung adjustments sa situation kasi talagang tumalaban talaga yung Nxled, so naka-adjust talaga yung players namin lalo na nung first set,” he added.
Despite their shaky first set showing, Galanza said the team remains as solid as ever.
“Kahit may pagkukulang nakita naman din talaga yung kung gaano rin ka-solid yung team. Kasi talagang tyinaga namin lalo na yung first set, Dun din kami nasubok kasi marami pang games na ganun yung mangyayari, so thankful pa rin kami sa ganung pangyayari,” said Galanza.
For Valdez, the multi-titled ace said she was “very happy and grateful for the win.”
“I mean lahat ng teams aiming for that spot in the semifinals. A win is a win for us. It’s just that madami ring lapses and we have to work harder on our training the next few days,” said Valdez.
The Chameleons, who had hoped to sweep their last three games to stay in the hunt, took their sixth loss against three victories and bowed out of the race.
Jho Maraguinot sizzled with 14 points but failed to draw solid back as Chiara Permentilla settled for an eight-point output and Lycha Ebon and Camille Victoria wound up with four points apiece.
