Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Creamline clinched the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference championship, nailing its maiden crown and giving a gift to another squad outside of the championship series in the process.
The Cool Smashers whipped PayMaya in straight sets, 25-19, 25-20, 25-11, Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, marking the end of a drought, too, for star Alyssa Valdez.
“We’re really hungry for this championship and this will motivate us to achieve more in the next conferences,” said the charismatic Creamline skipper.
The Cool Smashers sucked the life out of the High Flyers in the third set with a surgical 15-6 exchange that iced the title.
The Creamline victory also benefited BanKo-Perlas, which outlasted Pocari Air Force, 23-25, 25-10, 25-14, 25-17, in Game 2 of their battle for third earlier in the day.
Because of the victory of the Cool Smashers, the Perlas Spikers bagged the bronze by virtue of the semifinal matchups.
Pocari Sweat-Air Force, which lost a chance to make it to the Finals when it played a crucial rubber match without its star, found some sort of a silver lining after captain Myla Pablo was named conference MVP.
Pablo was unable to help the Lady Warriors in their do-or-die semifinals against Creamline on July 6 due to a back injury.
“I’m still happy that I got the MVP because I was able to get the team to the semifinals,” Pablo said in Filipino.
The former National U standout will know the extent of her injury on Friday.
Pablo was also named 2nd Best Outside Hitter while Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez grabbed the 1st Best Outside Hitter award. —WITH A REPORT FROM IVAN SUING