PVL: Creamline back in semis again after sweeping Chery Tiggo
Creamline’s Bernadeth Pons and Pangs Panaga raise their arms during a victory over Chery Tiggo to close out their quarterfinals series.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO CITY—Booking a reservation to the semifinals has turned quite into an obsession for the Creamline Cool Smashers.
They earned another return trip on Saturday evening by walloping the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22, in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All Filipino Conference.
Bea De Leon and Bernadeth Pons engineered the Cool Smashers’ gripping turnaround from a forgettable opening set spiked with errors to close out their quarterfinal series after two games.
READ: PVL: After winning 100th game, Creamline has another record within reach
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses, Bea De Leon, and Bernadeth Pons after winning the quarterfinals. #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/tfKD5C39S4
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) March 22, 2025
“Coming into this game, I just wanted to perform my role. I really wanted to make sure that I’ll be there to help the team,” said De Leon after tallying 14 points, highlighted by seven attacks, plus five blocks for the second game in a row and two aces.
Pons struck Chery Tiggo with 18 points and had 15 receptions, Tots Carlos added 14 attacks apart from 13 digs and Kyle Negrito tossed 25 excellent sets on top of six points for the Cool Smashers, who advanced to the semis for the 17th straight conference.
“We were reminded by coach (Sherwin Meneses) that Chery has nothing to lose. They will fight until the end, so we don’t have to be complacent,” said Pons.
Highly energized after snatching the first set, the Crossovers eagerly fought their way in stealing another frame at the expense of the Cool Smashers.
Successive hits by Tots Carlos, however, avoided another Chery Tiggo escape act as Creamline managed to extricate itself from a tight contest near the end of the second set.
Seth Rodriguez’s power tip and a Shaya Adorador projectile pulled the Crossovers within 21-23 before De Leon’s quick strike in the middle doused the rally.
READ: PVL: Balanced Creamline beats Chery Tiggo for Meneses’ 100th win
Chery Tiggo was poised to cut it down further, but an Ara Galang attack error at set point tied the match entering the third set.
Rodriguez led the Crossovers with 16 points and five blocks while Cess Robles added 14 points.
“We knew Chery won’t simply give up and we came in ready for such situations. We’re now in the semifinals and we have to double our efforts to make it to the finals,” said Meneses.
Apart from gifting Meneses his 101st victory as head coach of the franchise, the Cool Smashers have impressively sustained an unbroken stint in the semis since joining the league in 2017.
The Cool Smashers rose from three points down midway in the third set with Pons firing her way capped by an off-the-block hit for a 22-21 Creamline edge.
Michele Gumabao then rifled a crosscourt spike followed by a down-the-line strike, putting the Cool Smashers ahead by a set.
Pons and De Leon sustained the onslaught in the fourth, hurting Chery Tiggo’s survival bid with key hits as the Cool Smashers built a six-point cushion.
The Crossovers slowly chopped it down and moved within 24-22 through the efforts of Rodriguez and Adorador before De Leon unleashed the final kill to the delight of the pro-Creamline crowd at the Ynares Center Antipolo.
