PVL: After shaky wins, Creamline and Chery Tiggo brace for collision

Ced Domingo sparks another Creamline victory. –PVL PHOTO

Somehow, a Creamline team with aspirations of sweeping this Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season blew a first set that it stood on the cusp of winning.

The Cool Smashers eventually cleaned up their game, took the next three sets and sent new team Akari off the court with a 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 beating in their Reinforced Conference showdown on Thursday at PhilSports Arena.

But for a team steeped in championship pedigree, that just won’t cut it.

“I think today’s game is … like a wake-up call for us that we need to give our 100 percent or even 200 percent each game. One hundred percent is not enough because we all know that all teams are well-prepared,” said Jia de Guzman, who ran the Creamline offense fluidly with 19 excellent sets.

De Guzman may be right. Lapses, however momentary, might not be as easy to bounce back from, not with Chery Tiggo waiting in the wings.

“We’re looking forward against Chery. We know they’re not going to give it to us easily. We will work hard,” De Guzman said.

The Crossovers will go into that match already assured of a semifinals slot, although they hardly looked imposing after a 22-25, 25-18, 25-27, 25-18, 15-12 gut-check win over winless Army-United Auctioneers.

“It was a tough game, Army really had a good defense and good service so we really had to put a lot of effort,” said import Jelena Cvijovic, whose squad notched a fifth straight win.

“We started very slow in the first set for whatever reason,” Chery Tiggo coach Clarence Esteban said in Filipino.

Mylene Paat continues to breathe fire for Chery Tiggo.—PVL PHOTO

Shaky start notwithstanding, Chery Tiggo has enough to bedevil Creamline in their anticipated showdown.

There’s Mylene Paat, the league’s top local scorer who unleashed 23 points, including the game-clinching attack that sealed the victory after Royse Tubino helped the Lady Troopers save three match points to cut down the lead to two, 14-12.

Chery Tiggo can also lean on its defense, anchored on the steady floor coverage of Cvijovic that on Thursday helped the team overcome a 0-2 start in the fifth set. Czarina Carandang then nailed back-to-back blocks to help the Crossovers build an 11-6 spread.

“[The game against Creamline] will be good because both teams will have enough rest [going into the match],” Esteban said. “We’re going to continue training during the holiday break and prepare our strategy for Creamline.”

“The skills of both teams are even … and [it will be] a game of momentum. If we get the momentum right away, we’ll go for [the kill],” he added.

One thing that Creamline could build on as it seeks to officially save a semifinal seat is the continued rise of Ced Domingo, who joined hands with Yeliz Basa in pulling the Cool Smashers to victory after they froze on a 23-21 first set lead.

Basa finished with 18 points while Domingo added 14 and also had five of the team’s nine blocks in the game.

“I think it was easy for me because my teammates and I were always in good position for our blockings,” said Domingo. “And we really studied Akari, so that helped.”