CREAMLINE moved on the cusp of a fifth consecutive Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Finals appearance after fending off F2 Logistics, 26-24, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15 in Game One of the semifinals in front of a jampacked PhilSports Arena on Saturday.
It was a blockbuster event played in front of 6,471 fans and the Cool Smashers made sure to not disappoint.
“Of course we’re happy because these are the semifinals,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses as the Rebisco-backed squad finally got one over the Cargo Movers after losing their past two duels this conference.
“But the fight’s not over, so we need to prepare even harder,” added Meneses after the match that lasted two hours and 20 minutes.
Creamline trailed 23-24 in the opening set but managed to tie with a deuce after Kianna Dy committed a centerline fault.
A miscommunication between Ivy Lacsina and Dy allowed the Cool Smashers to fall behind again and Tots Carlos eventually scored an off-the-block hit to give her team a 1-0 lead.
Creamline bounced back in the second set with a 12-2 run—with Jeanette Panaga contributing five points—to turn a 4-6 deficit into a commanding 16-8 lead and went on to win the set.
F2 Logistics broke a 19-all tie with Aby Marano and Elaine Kasilag leading the way in a 3-0 run that gave them a 22-19 advantage in the third set.
Ced Domingo and Michelle Gumabao scored back-to-back points for the Cool Smashers, but F2 Logistics won the set with Kim Fajardo winning a joust against Panaga and Kasilag blocking Jema Galanza to secure a 24-21 lead.
Gumabao managed to save set point, but Kasilag’s cross-court attack sealed the set for F2 Logistics and forced a fourth set.
The Cool Smashers went on a blistering 8-1 start in the fourth set and never looked back to take Game One.
Tots Carlos had an outstanding performance of 22 points on 22 attacks with 17 excellent digs and 15 excellent receptions for a triple-double. Gumabao also played a key role with 20 points.
Creamline’s Jema Galanza contributed 12 points and nine excellent receptions, while Jeanette Panaga added 11 points. Jia De Guzman provided 26 excellent sets and Kyla Atienza collected 22 excellent digs as Creamline played their first semifinal game without team captain Alyssa Valdez, who is recovering from a right knee injury.
The Cool Smashers go for a sweep Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
F2 Logistics—which played without injured Myra Pablo for the second consecutive game—got 13 points from Kianna Dy with Elaine Kasilag and Ivy Lacsina contributing 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Second seed Petro Gazz matched Creamline’s four-set win to also gain the head-start in its side of the best-of-three series with PLDT.
The Angels bucked an opening set stumble with a sweep of the next three for a 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18 victory over the High Speed Hitters in Saturday’s nightcap.