VIGAN, Ilocos Sur – Treating the PVL On Tour as a crucial stepping stone toward redemption, Creamline showed no mercy and no rust, steamrolling past a depleted Capital1 squad, 25-10, 25-21, 25-10, before a raucous, capacity crowd at the newly opened Chavit Coliseum in Vigan on Sunday.
Still reeling from a failed title bid in the All-Filipino Conference, the Cool Smashers came in with a mission – and left no doubt. From the opening serve, Creamline imposed its will with a barrage of attacks, impenetrable defense, and seamless playmaking that exposed the wide gap in firepower, experience and composure between the two squads.
“It’s great to start the way we wanted,” said Michele Gumabao, who earned Player of the Game honors with 11 points. “We really wanted to bounce back and make the fans here in Vigan happy. We’re so thankful for the warm welcome they gave us.”
Gumabao admitted the team went through a tough grind during the off-season. “We worked hard these past three weeks – we kept on training because we really wanted to start strong.”
She also wasn’t surprised by the impressive showing of their rookies, saying: 'They’ve been working hard and adapting well to Creamline’s culture and team work ethic. They bring a fresh perspective to the squad, and they’re doing really well – we’re proud of them.'"
Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses echoed her sentiments, saying, “We’re happy to open the tournament with a win, especially given our short preparation.”
“I think in our upcoming games, we’ll execute our attacks even better,” said Meneses in Filipino.
On utilizing his full roster, including rookie Danica Celis, he added: “It’s very important for us, especially since we’re playing back-to-back. We need to get some rest now so we can perform well tomorrow (Monday).”
While the Solar Spikers missed the services of top rookie pick Bella Belen and sophomore Leila Cruz – two pillars of Alas Pilipinas – their absence merely underscored what Creamline already had in spades – seasoned stars, an enviable bench, and a system that functions like clockwork regardless of who's on the floor.
Even with stalwarts Tots Carlos and Bea de Leon sitting this one out, the Cool Smashers barely missed a beat.
Rookie middle blocker Sheena Toring made a strong impression, delivering an early kill block and back-to-back aces that sparked Creamline’s pull-away run in the first set. Her poise and timing – honed with the title-winning National University Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP – blended seamlessly with the squad’s veteran core.
From there, it was a showcase of Creamline's signature depth and offensive variety. Alyssa Valdez delivered with her trademark precision and leadership, Mich Gumabao brought her heavy hits, Jema Galanza added explosive power from the wings and Pangs Panaga controlled the net with quick attacks and solid blocking.
With Kyle Negrito orchestrating the offense to near perfection, Creamline repeatedly broke down Capital1’s defenses.
Galanza led the way with 12 points, while Panaga backed up Gumabao and Galanza with 10 markers, including three kill blocks. Valdez chipped in nine points, while Toring and Lorie Bernardo added five apiece.
Rovena Instrella paced Capital1 with seven points, while Jorelle Singh, Shola Alvarez and new recruit Kecelyn Galdrones contributed five points each. Trisha Genesis added four markers for the Solar Spikers.
Creamline dominated across the board, firing 43 spikes against Capital1’s 27, registering eight blocks to their rivals’ one, and delivering seven aces – four more than the Solar Spikers.
The Cool Smashers also capitalized on their opponents’ miscues, scoring 17 points off Capital1’s unforced errors while yielding just 10 of their own.
The Solar Spikers mounted a spirited rally late in the second set, clawing their way back from a deep deficit to close within two points on three occasions, the last at 19-21. But just as momentum threatened to shift, the Cool Smashers turned to their veteran core to steady the ship.
Gumabao halted the run with a crafty drop ball, followed by a Valdez baseline hit to restore a four-point cushion.
Instrella responded with back-to-back hits to counter Sheena Toring’s quick attack, then Valdez unleashed another kill attempt over two defenders. Initially ruled out, the play was challenged by Creamline – and the decision was overturned after review confirmed a touch off a Capital1 blocker’s fingertips.
The successful challenge handed Creamline the set point for a commanding 2-0 lead, snuffing out the Solar Spikers’ brief uprising with poise and precision.
Creamline took charge early in Set 3, surging ahead 7-2 behind an off-the-block hit by Valdez off a broken play. From there, the Cool Smashers never looked back, outplaying the Solar Spikers the rest of the way to seal the victory.
Galanza provided a highlight during Creamline’s mid-set breakaway, delivering a powerful hit following a spectacular save by Valdez near the railings. The sequence turned what could have been a point for Capital1 into an emphatic kill for the former Adamson ace, extending Creamline’s lead to 16-7 by the second technical timeout.
The straight-set win mirrored Cignal’s earlier sweep of Akari, and setting the stage for a pair of expected barnburners in today’s (Monday) twinbill finale of the two-day PVL On Tour opener, initiated and hosted by Ilocos Sur Gov. Jerry Singson.
Cignal faces Capital1 at 4 p.m., while Creamline returns to action against Akari at 6:30 p.m., with both the Cool Smashers and the HD Spikers eyeing back-to-back wins to kickstart their Pool B campaign in the two-group pre-season tournament organized by Sports Vision.
