Jema Galanza and Creamline Cool Smashers. –PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Creamline secured solo first in the Premiere Volleyball League’s All-Filipino Conference after escaping Chery Tiggo in four sets, 17-25, 25-11, 25-19, 25-21, at Philsports Arena on Saturday.
Jema Galanza scored a game-high 25 points to give the Cool Smashers a 4-1 record while also bouncing back from their four-setter loss to F2 Logistics last week. Michelle Gumabao helped their cause with 17 markers while Ced Domingo finished with 16.
“Of course, the motivation is there (to bounce back). But we targeted to do it step by step and point by point because we’re not easily going to gain revenge against F2 right away, we only play one round. We just moved on right away,” told Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses in Filipino.
“That’s how it is because Creamline is not the only team that prepares. Every team prepares. We’ll think about round two some other time.”
Creamline led 23-20 in the fourth and final set when Galanza committed a net violation to give the Crossovers a fighting chance but Gumabao ended the match with two straight points of her own.
The Cool Smashers and the Crossovers were caught in a stalemate at 13-all in the penultimate set before Creamline went on a momentous 10-5 run to take a 23-18 lead. Galanza scored a kill to bring her squad to set point but Domingo committed a service error.
Before Chery Tiggo could mount a comeback, Galanza shut the door on the Aaron Velez-led squad to take a pivotal 2-1 set lead.
The second frame was the Cool Smashers’ most dominant showing, limiting the Crossovers to only 11 points.
In a game where Chery Tiggo dropped to a 3-2 card, EJ Laure served as the loss’s silver lining with 15 points while Mylene Paat had 10 to her name.