Cool Smashers stake unbeaten run vs Crossovers


At a glance

  • Creamline stakes its unbeaten run when it clashes with Chery Tiggo on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.


Creamline stakes its unbeaten run when it clashes with Chery Tiggo on Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

PVL AFC 25 Creamline vs. Cignal - Bernadeth Pons-8081.jpg
Bernadeth Pons is expected to carry the fight anew for Creamline. (PVL Images)

The Cool Smashers gun for their eighth consecutive victory in their 4 p.m. tussle with the Crossovers, hoping to tighten their hold of the top seeding as matches continue to get crucial in the 12-team preliminaries.

The defending champion multi-titled squad encountered some shaky moments in its last meeting against Cignal over the weekend, where it squandered a two-set lead before regaining its pace en route to a 25-19, 26-24, 23-25, 23-25, 15-9 victory.

Despite going through an uphill climb to clinch that win, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses took this as a blessing in disguise.

“Etong panalo namin against Cignal, malaking challenge samin para sa next game,” Meneses said.

“Lesson samin to na huwag magpahinga, na ibigay yung 100 percent hangga’t hindi natatapos yung game. And huwag lang magpa-pressure. Back to basics lang and hanapin ulit yung willingness na manalo, kahit three sets or five sets pa ang laro,” he added.

Bernadeth Pons, who starred in that match with 27 points built on 24 kills, two aces and one block, echoed the sentiment and said there should be no room for complacency.

“Sakin naman, gusto ko lang maging consistent, mag-improve every day sa training kahit na one percent lang,” said Pons, who also contributed 14 excellent digs.

Aside from Pons, Meneses continues to rely on his star-studded lineup composed of Tots Carlos, Bea De Leon and Jema Galanza.

Chery Tiggo, meanwhile, tries to recover from a four-set defeat from ZUS Coffee and get back on the winning track after slipping to 5-4 in tie with Akari in the middle standings.

The Crossovers have their own arsenal in Ara Galang, Cess Robles, Shaya Adorador and Aby Maraño in challenging the Cool Smashers’ intimidating frontline.

In the other pairing, Cignal tries to brush off its bruised knees when it tangles with skidding Capital1 at 6:30 p.m.

The HD Spikers tote a 5-3 mark at fourth place while the Solar Spikers are tied with the Galeries Tower Highrisers at 1-7 -- no thanks to a four-game losing streak including three-set defeat to the Akari Chargers last Saturday, Feb. 1.