Still hungry and focused Creamline bad news for Choco Mucho

Creamline Cool Smashers’ Jema Galanza in the PVL All-Filipino Finals game against Choco Mucho Flying Titans. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The only thing that stands between Creamline upping an unprecedented Premier Volleyball League championship haul to eight is another victory against a storied, determined rival.

And the Cool Smashers—seasoned as they are—don’t want to get ahead of themselves, even if they have a two-for-one shot at nailing another All-Filipino crown starting with Sunday’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Actually, I am still not thinking [about the title],” coach Sherwin Meneses said after Creamline returned to its winning ways against sister team Choco Mucho in front of a 17,457 animated souls at the Big Dome on Thursday. “No one wins a championship with a 1-0 lead.”

Creamline and Choco Mucho also disputed the previous All-Filipino crown where they swept the Flying Titans in their first title series appearance.

And if Choco Mucho fails to solve the riddle that an intact Creamline lineup presents, the result could very well be the same.

The Flying Titans’ only victory in 14 games against the Cool Smashers came at the start of the semifinals, when Creamline allowed Tots Carlos to try her luck in the Korean pro league.

And when Creamline again had all hands on deck, the result was very familiar in Game 1, a thrilling 24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-16 come-from-behind victory.

Hot start wasted

But despite having all the momentum they need, Meneses remains on even keel.

“The fight is not yet over. We are still only leading 1-0, we need to win two (games) so there is really no reason to celebrate,” Meneses said. “It is important that we got Game 1, then we return to work for Game 2.”

Hungry for a first-ever league title, Choco Mucho stormed out of the gates looking to prove that its breakthrough win was not a fluke. But it lost steam when it mattered as Creamline’s experience came to fore in crucial situations.

Jema Galanza led Creamline with 20 points built around 18 attacks. She also had 13 excellent receptions and two blocks to highlight an all-around effort.

“It will be super special [to win this championship series] because we have been through a lot and we struggled so much,” Galanza said.

Carlos chipped in with 17 points, 16 coming from attacks, with former Choco Mucho skipper Bea de Leon scoring 11 points, with five coming off blocks.

“[The key for Creamline] is having the mindset of a champion,” Galanza said. “It’s hard to be consistent, to become a champion in every conference, but you can see in each of us that we want to win and we want to get another crown.”