Bracing for a tough grind, Creamline walked off with a straight-set win instead as it smothered PLDT Home Fibr, 25-22, 25-16, 25-21, to gain a provisional hold of the lead with Cignal HD in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre Saturday, July 16.
Cashing in on their rivals’ erratic stint on the service line, the Cool Smashers took the opening set, dominated the next before fighting back from 4-8 and 15-18 down in the third to complete the straight-set victory in one hour and minutes that lined them up with the HD Spikers on top of the seven-team field with two wins.
Cignal, however, was gunning for a third straight victory and a continued hold of the solo lead against winless Chery Tiggo at press time.
PLDT slipped to 1-1 in a tie with Choco Mucho.
“We didn’t expect to win in 3. PLDT has trained hard and its coaching staff has already put up a system since they’ve been playing together since last year,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses. “They have improved a lot.”
But the Cool Smashers just proved they’re better and stronger with Tots Carlos taking charge late in the third that saw her score four of Creamline’s last seven points, including the clincher off a well-laid-out ploy by Meneses on a power hit off two PLDT defenders.“We expected PLDT to come out strong in the third, but coach told us to focus on our execution, especially in blocking,” said Carlos, who topscored for Creamline for the second time with 17 points after an 18-hit effort in a four-set win over Petro Gazz last Tuesday.
Alyssa Valdez bounced back from an eight-point output against Petro Gazz with a 13-hit production while Jema Galanza slowed down with 12 points after hammering in 17 hits the first time out.
“We have some forced errors which we could’ve minimized but a win is a win and I hope we get to improve as we focus on our next game,” said Valdez.
Creamline also underscored its big edge in firepower, finishing with 53 attack points against PLDT’s 29 as Samonte finished with a team-best 10 points. Fiola Ceballos, Dell Palomata and Chin-Chin Basas, who combined for 32 points in their straight-set romp over Chery Tiggo, also last Tuesday, finished with combined 20 points. PLDT, however, produced six blocks, two more than their rivals.
But the High Speed Hitters sorely missed Mika Reyes’ offensive output as the top middle hitter/blocker wound up with just four points after a 14-hit game against the Crossovers.
For a while, the match between two teams that hurdled their opening day games appeared headed for a scuffle with a long frantic rally marking the first point annexed by PLDT on a Reyes’ quick put-away.
But Creamline, behind Galanza, took control at 15-11 then gained four of their last eight points on their rivals’ service miscues, the last by Palomata, whose running attack and a PLDT block pulled the High Speed Hitters within, 22-24.
The Open Conference champions then imposed their will in the second frame, storming to a 17-8 on their way to a 26-minute set romp, only to find a tougher, more determined PLDT side in the third.
With Julianne Samonte on the firing end, the High Speed Hitters led majority of the way, the last at 18-15 before the Cool Smashers racked up three straight points to tie on a Valdez hit, an attack error from Samonte and a net violation from Reyes.
But Jia de Guzman served to the net and Rhea Dimaculangan hit an ace before Carlos tied the match again at 20 on back-to-back hits. Valdez put Creamline on top for the first time in the set after completing a chance ball then Carlos dropped another blast, Galanza delivered an ace and a PLDT net violation helped put the Cool Smashers at match point on a decisive 10-3 run.