Heart of a champion.

Creamline displayed championship poise in the crunch as it survived a pesky Petro Gazz side, 25-15, 16-25, 25-21, 15-25, 15-9, to forge a rubber match for the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday night, April 10.

Despite dropping the fourth set, the Cool Smashers maintained their composure in the crucial fifth frame by going full throttle on the attack line that shackled the defense of the Angels in Game 2 of this best-of-three finals series.

Bernadeth Pons fired 22 points built on 19 kills to anchor the defending champions, who erased the stigma of a 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 20-25 15-10

Game 1 defeat last Tuesday, April 8.

“Maganda lang yung reminder sa team kanina na whatever happens, kukunin namin yung Game 2,” said Pons, who set the tone for the Cool Smashers in the fifth set with variety of attacks.

“Hindi kami titigil hangga’t hindi namin nade-defend yung title,” she added.

True enough, the Cool Smashers refused to bow down easily against the title-hungry Angels, taking a quick 5-3 lead in the fifth before Brooke Van Sickle showcased her own fiery form to tie the game at 5-all.

But Pons was there to fuel the crew, mixing her attacks that had Petro Gazz fumbling. Pangs Panaga and Jema Galanza provided more firepower as they took advantage of the Angels’ erratic plays.

An off-the-block spike from MJ Phillips briefly stopped the bleeding for Petro Gazz as it trimmed its deficit to 9-12, but it proved to be its last stand as Panaga and Galanza drained three straight points for the match win.

Galanza finished with 13 points while Panaga and Michele Gumabao chipped in 12 and 11 points for Creamline, who banked on its strong serves by unloading 10 aces.

Kyla Atienza and Pons also took charge of the floor defense with a combined 25 digs.

Van Sickle and Phillips had 18 and 15 points in losing cause for Petro Gazz, even as Myla Pablo scored 11 points.

Game 3 will be on Saturday, April 12, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.