Games on Thursday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Akari vs Petro Gazz
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Creamline
There has been only one occasion in the last 14 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) championships that Creamline wasn’t in contention.
The Cool Smashers aren’t about to make it two.
On the brink of finals elimination, the proud, dynasty unleashed its full might on Akari with a merciless 25-18, 25-19, 25-19 victory on Tuesday that kept its record championship aspirations alive in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena.
This sealed Creamline its first win in the single-round robin semis after succumbing to Petro Gazz, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, on Saturday at the Ynares Center Antipolo. That loss pushed Creamline to the brink of dropping out of the finals race.
A win over sister team Choco Mucho on Thursday at the Big Dome would bolster its bid of barging into the finals for the 14th time in the last 15 conferences, a magnificent stretch that yielded 10 championships including a four-peat, both league records.
“We knew how important this game was, it was a do-or-die game for us,” according to Creamline middle blocker Pangs Panaga, who came through with 13 points on 10 kills, two service aces and a block.
“That’s why we really worked hard to get the win,” she added.
Creamline showed its determination early in the opening set and found ways to claw back from deficits in the next two sets, including a 13-8 disadvantage in the second frame.
They knew one mistake could lead to oblivion.
The last time Creamline did not make the finals was during the 2022 Reinforced Conference, where it ended up claiming third place.
It never happened again and the Cool Smashers don’t appear to be in a hurry to repeat that experience.
Bernadeth Pons dropped a match-best 17 points while Tots Carlos uncorked 13 hits.
Creamline’s charismatic skipper Alyssa Valdez chipped in nine points herself, including her patented clutch kills that sealed the deal.
Despite the defeat, the Chargers, who turned back the Flying Titans, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 22-25, 16-14, in their first semis outing and stumbled to 1-1, could still make it to the finals for the second time after their Reinforced Conference stint last year.
But they would have to pull the rug from under the Angels to accomplish it. — Joey Villar
