VIGAN, Ilocos Sur – Treating the PVL On Tour as a crucial stepping stone toward redemption, Creamline showed no mercy and no rust, steamrolling past a depleted Capital1 squad, 25-10, 25-21, 25-10, before a raucous, capacity crowd at the newly opened Chavit Coliseum in Vigan on Sunday, June 22.

Still reeling from a failed title bid in the All-Filipino Conference, the Cool Smashers came in with a mission – and left no doubt. From the opening serve, Creamline imposed its will with a barrage of attacks, impenetrable defense, and seamless playmaking that exposed the wide gap in firepower, experience and composure between the two squads.

“It’s great to start the way we wanted,” said Michele Gumabao, who earned Player of the Game honors with 11 points. “We really wanted to bounce back and make the fans here in Vigan happy. We’re so thankful for the warm welcome they gave us.”

Gumabao admitted the team went through a tough grind during the off-season. “We worked hard these past three weeks – we kept on training because we really wanted to start strong.”

She also wasn’t surprised by the impressive showing of their rookies, saying: 'They’ve been working hard and adapting well to Creamline’s culture and team work ethic. They bring a fresh perspective to the squad, and they’re doing really well – we’re proud of them.'

Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses echoed her sentiments, saying, “We’re happy to open the tournament with a win, especially given our short preparation.”

“I think in our upcoming games, we’ll execute our attacks even better,” said Meneses in Filipino.

On utilizing his full roster, including rookie Danica Celis, he added: “It’s very important for us, especially since we’re playing back-to-back. We need to get some rest now so we can perform well tomorrow (Monday).”

While the Solar Spikers missed the services of top rookie pick Bella Belen and sophomore Leila Cruz – two pillars of Alas Pilipinas – their absence merely underscored what Creamline already had in spades – seasoned stars, an enviable bench, and a system that functions like clockwork regardless of who's on the floor.

Even with stalwarts Tots Carlos and Bea de Leon sitting this one out, the Cool Smashers barely missed a beat.

Rookie middle blocker Sheena Toring made a strong impression, delivering an early kill block and back-to-back aces that sparked Creamline’s pull-away run in the first set. Her poise and timing – honed with the title-winning National University Lady Bulldogs in the UAAP – blended seamlessly with the squad’s veteran core.

From there, it was a showcase of Creamline's signature depth and offensive variety. Alyssa Valdez delivered with her trademark precision and leadership, Mich Gumabao brought her heavy hits, Jema Galanza added explosive power from the wings and Pangs Panaga controlled the net with quick attacks and solid blocking.

With Kyle Negrito orchestrating the offense to near perfection, Creamline repeatedly broke down Capital1’s defenses.

Galanza led the way with 12 points, while Panaga backed up Gumabao and Galanza with 10 markers, including three kill blocks. Valdez chipped in nine points, while Toring and Lorie Bernardo added five apiece.

Rovena Instrella paced Capital1 with seven points, while Jorelle Singh, Shola Alvarez and new recruit Kecelyn Galdrones contributed five points each. Trisha Genesis added four markers for the Solar Spikers.

Creamline dominated across the board, firing 43 spikes against Capital1’s 27, registering eight blocks to their rivals’ one, and delivering seven aces – four more than the Solar Spikers.

The Cool Smashers also capitalized on their opponents’ miscues, scoring 17 points off Capital1’s unforced errors while yielding just 10 of their own.