PVL Finals: Creamline takes 1-0 lead, cruises past PayMaya

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Creamline struck the crucial first blow, beating PayMaya in four sets, 25-21, 22-25, 25-20, 25-19, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three championship series of the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Cool Smashers relied on a three-pronged attack that Kuttika Kaewpin spearheaded with 19 points while Alyssa Valdez and Laura Schaudt had 18 and 13 points, respectively.

It was still a tight contest through the midway part of the fourth set with Craemline leading 13-11, that was until Valdez started heating up.

The Cool Smashers went on a 9-2 run with Valdez capping it off with a smith kill for the 22-15 lead.

Even with the early win, Valdez knows they can’t take PayMaya lightly.

“Coach Roger’s [Gorayeb] teams don’t give up and they will bounce back especially Grethcel [Soltones] and [Tess] Rountree,” said Valdez. “They won’t back down and this is just the first game. Both semifinals series went to three games and we don’t know what will happen in the second game.”

After Jerrili Malabanan’s error put the Cool Smashers at the 24-19 match point, Valdez capitalized on the error and delivered the final blow to the middle of the High Flyers’ defense.

Rountree led the High Flyers with 26 points while Soltones added 11.