Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos lead Creamline Cool Smashers in latest five-set win. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez kept Creamline’s winning run in their second straight five-setter match, overcoming Cignal, 23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 24-26, 15-10, to boost their title-retention bid in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference on Saturday at Philsports Arena.
The Cool Smashers relied on Carlos to avoid a collapse as PVL’s winningest Most Valuable Player dropped 27 points, while Valdez continued to peak with another conference-high 22 points off 18 attacks, two aces, and a block.
Jema Galanza also delivered an all-around game with 21 points, 17 digs, and eight excellent receptions, helping libero Ella De Jesus, who made the most of her playing time with 19 digs, as the Cool Smashers rose to a 3-0 record in the semis and haven’t lost a game after six games in the tournament.
“For our team, the closer the games, the more the players help each other,” said Carlos in Filipino. “These five-setter games make the team stronger and more composed. We’re proud of each other.”
Creamline trailed 24-21 in the fourth with substitute players Kyle Negrito and Michele Gumabao on the floor as the former’s drop ball put Cignal at set point. Coach Sherwin brought back starters Jia De Guzman and Carlos and scored three consecutive points to force a deuce.
De Guzman, however, committed a crucial service error before Ces Molina nailed a through-the-block attack to force a decider.
Tots Carlos with a hit against Cignal’s Rachel Ann Daquis. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The Cool Smashers quickly got their act together in the fifth set with a 9-5 start but Molina willed her team back to cut it down to just one. Rose Doria initially tied it with a drop but Creamline got a successful challenge for a net touch before Valdez and Carlos put on the finishing touches to snap the HD Spikers’ four-game winning streak.
“Creamline is already proven when it comes to five-setter matches. Regardless of what result, they will play on. Good thing, we still won our second straight five-setter,” said coach Meneses in Filipino. “We’re happy because we’re slowly inching closer to the finals.”
Decorated setter De Guzman paced the defending champion with 33 excellent sets on top of three aces to outplay Cignal playmaker Gel Cayuna, who only had 19 excellent sets but scored seven points including four aces.
Creamline battles Vietnam’s Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Cignal dropped to a triple tie at 1-2 with F2 Logistics and PLDT, seeking to regain its winning ways against Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze on Monday at 4 p.m.
The HD Spikers banked on Molina’s conference-high 28 points on top of 11 digs. Rachel Anne Daquis contributed 14 points, while Ria Meneses and Jovelyn Gonzaga added 12 and 11 markers, respectively.