CREAMLINE played it cool and savored the sweet taste of victory as the Cool Smashers completed a championship series sweep of PayMaya, 25-19, 25-20, 25-11, for their first title in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Season 2 Reinforced Conference before their pink-clad fans on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
After finishing third in two conferences last season, former Ateneo teammates Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado made sure they got the big one this time and powered their team to the championship in only 67 minutes.
Valdez, as expected, did most of the work—especially in the third set—and finished with 19 points on 15 kills, three service aces and one block.
The day also belonged to Morado, who was named Best Setter and Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), paced her team with 29 excellent sets on top of two hits.
“All of us worked hard and trained hard to win this one. All the sacrifices we made is worth it,” said Morado, who was also the catalyst in their 25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 25-19 Game One victory with 32 excellent sets and three points.
“It’s really been a while, three years, since I won my last championship. This is memorable with Jia and Coach Tai [Bundit]. This is the turning point of my professional career in volleyball,” said Valdez, referring to Ateneo’s title run in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines under Bundit.
Import Kuttika Kaewpin and Best Opposite Spiker Michele Gumabao contributed 12 points apiece, while Creamline’s other reinforcement, Laura Schaudt, added nine hits.
Best Foreign Guest Player Tess Rountree carried the load for the High Flyers and tallied 12 points with eight digs, while Best Libero Lizlee Pantone had 12 digs.
Myla Pablo was named MVP but nursed a back injury and sat helplessly as her team, Pocari Sweat-Air Force, fell to BanKo Perlas Spikers, 25-23, 10-25, 14-25, 17-25, in the battle for third place.
Vice Co., meanwhile, finished third after beating PLDT, 25-23, 25-22, 25-21, in Game Two of their own series in the men’s contest.