When the pressure peaked and the moment demanded everything, Creamline didn’t just respond – it delivered a championship statement.

The Cool Smashers dug deep into their championship core, saving multiple match points in a heart-stopping fourth set before dominating the decider to stun the PLDT High Speed Hitters, 22-25, 27-25, 19-25, 28-26, 15-10, and forge a tie with the Cignal Super Spikers for the early lead in the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference late Saturday, April 11.

It was a comeback carved out of grit, poise and sheer will.

With majority of the 12,411 fans inside the SM Mall of Asia Arena rising to their feet – their thunderous cheers echoing beyond the venue – Creamline turned desperation into dominance. And when the match reached its breaking point, the Cool Smashers leaned on their championship DNA to close it out in emphatic fashion.

At the heart of the rally were Bernadeth Pons and Jema Galanza, who powered Creamline’s resurgence with a dazzling 1-2 punch in the clutch.

Pons erupted for 28 points in a Best Player of the Game performance, while Galanza staged a fiery return, shaking off a scoreless stint against the Akari Chargers to unload 17 points – many coming at the most critical junctures of the match.

Galanza’s clutch hits in the fifth set proved decisive, including a blistering attack that preserved a 12-8 lead. Moments later, after Savi Davison sparked a brief PLDT fightback, Pangs Panaga stepped in with a crucial point before Pons converted Kyle Atienza’s spectacular dig into a thunderous hit for match point, 14-10.

This time, there would be no escape for PLDT.

Under immense pressure, Davison’s final attack slammed into the net, triggering a deafening eruption from the 10-time champion Creamline faithful – inside the arena and far beyond.

It may have been just the opening match of the round-robin semis, but the way Creamline fought, survived and ultimately imposed its will made it feel far more significant – like a preview of another championship run.

“Sobrang saya kasi naitawid namin ang game ngayon… sobrang proud ako sa effort ng team (I'm very happy because we managed to get through the game today… I’m very proud of the team’s effort),” said Pons after the grueling two-hour, 20-minute battle.

After four sets of back-and-forth warfare, the Cool Smashers seized control early in the fifth.

Tots Carlos and Panaga set the tone, and after brief deadlocks, Creamline surged ahead, 8-4, behind Galanza’s off-the-block brilliance. The lead ballooned to 11-5 as Galanza continued to deliver, capitalizing on errors from Alleiah Malaluan and the unraveling PLDT defense.

From there, Creamline never looked back.

The victory not only avenged their earlier straight-sets loss to PLDT in the prelims but also reignited their drive toward yet another title – with a looming showdown against Cignal up next.

Pons, however, knows the job is far from over.

“We’ll try to recover first, but we promise to give our best in the next game,” she said.

Alyssa Valdez chipped in 10 points in three sets of action, while Panaga, Bea de Leon, and Carlos added eight apiece. Michele Gumabao contributed five, underscoring Creamline’s balanced offensive attack.

The Cool Smashers dominated in spikes, 74-66, and fired seven aces, offsetting PLDT’s edge in blocking, 11-6. Despite conceding 31 free points, Creamline’s composure in the clutch proved the ultimate difference.

PLDT, meanwhile, wasted a golden opportunity despite a breakout 23-point performance from Malaluan. Davison added 22, while Kim Dy and Majoy Baron chipped in 16 and 10, respectively.

But after failing to close out the match in four sets, the High Speed Hitters faltered when it mattered most – their rhythm collapsing in the deciding frame.