Cool Smashers dismantle third straight foe and yet to drop a set

Tots Carlos and Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL Invitational Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Creamline and Petro Gazz used one-woman wrecking balls in thumping different foes in contrasting fashions on Thursday, with the Cool Smashers running roughshod over another hapless side and the Angels going through the wringer in derailing F2 Logistics’ advance to the semifinals of the PVL Invitational Conference.

Tots Carlos destroyed the PLDT defense with impunity on the way to a 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 victory carved out in just 97 minutes at PhilSports Arena, while Grethcel Soltones scattered her career-high 31 points in a marathon 20-25, 25-22, 25-12, 33-35, 15-9 win over the Cargo Movers that also enhanced the Angels’ chances of advancing past the eliminations.

The Cool Smashers have yet to drop a set in three games and wrapped up a semifinal slot reserved for two teams in Pool A, while the Angels caught the Cargo Movers at the top at 3-1, though they still trail F2 in the tiebreaker with each having a game left to play.

“I wasn’t expecting a game like that,” Soltones said in Filipino, when asked of her career game. “I just want my team to make the next round.”

Petro Gazz and F2 battled for three hours and 13 minutes and Soltones was also critical on the floor by goading her teammates to keep fighting despite trailing 0-4 at the start of the fifth set.

“I just told myself, I want this game. I need to calm down during the crucial times and that’s what I always tell my teammates that this situation is not new to us and we can do this,” she added.

And it was Soltones who touched off a critical 7-0 run that wrapped up the match, much in the same manner that Carlos rattled off three straight aces in a crucial stretch in the third set that turned the tide for the Cool Smashers.

Guest teams

Carlos finished with 22 points for the defending champions, who will be joined by three other locals squads and sides from Japan and Vietnam in the single-round semifinals that gets going Thursday.

“We’re really happy because we have an advantage coming to the next stage,” said Carlos, the reigning MVP, in Filipino. “But we still have a lot to improve and we trust the program of the coaches for our team. We just follow their instructions and try to improve every day.”

She’s back

Alyssa Valdez, long the face of Creamline and women’s volleyball in the country, played the finest game of her comeback tour, finishing with 11 points in a splendid backup performance as coach Sherwin Meneses continues to sharpen all his tools for the playoffs where Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze and Vietnam’s Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh are playing.

“It’s a good win for us today. We were able to secure the semifinal slot,” said Meneses. “I think the team still improved despite the break. We have to prepare because we still have a lot of games left.”

Michele Gumabao sat it out after coming from an important trip to Europe. Meneses said she will return to action against Akari on Saturday.

PLDT dropped to 1-1 for third place and the High Speed Hitters suffered another blackeye with Jovielyn Prado, who finished nine points, injured her left knee in the second set after a bad landing.

The first game saw Mylene Paat end her scoring slump by unleashing 15 points to lead Chery Tiggo past Gerflor, 25-19, 25-20, 25-18, for its second straight win in Pool A.

Chery Tiggo’s leading scorer, Eya Laure, only played in the first set and scored three points as coach Aaron Velez had the luxury of rotating all his players. Pauline Gaston had seven points, including two aces. EJ Laure and Carandang also scored seven points each, as Imee Hernandez added six.

Chery Tiggo improved to 2-1 in Pool A in the second seed and it will eye a semifinal berth against PLDT on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.