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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Volleyball devider Creamline outlasts Cignal, captures 11th PVL league title

Creamline outlasts Cignal, captures 11th PVL league title

Published Apr 23, 2026 09:26 pm

At A Glance

  • Riding the momentum of their straight-sets Game 1 triumph, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, the Cool Smashers leaned on their championship experience to fend off the hard-fighting Super Spikers and secure a record 11th league crown.
By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Creamline outlasted Cignal in a gripping five-set duel, 25-23, 22-25, 25-16, 16-25, 15-11, to complete its redemption run and clinch the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference title before a jampacked crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, April 23.
Riding the momentum of their straight-sets Game 1 triumph, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, the Cool Smashers leaned on their championship experience to fend off the hard-fighting Super Spikers and secure a record 11th league crown.
Bernadeth Pons, who was later adjudged Finals Most Valuable Player, erupted for 20 kills to finish with 22 points, while Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza added 18 and 12 points, respectively, as Creamline cemented its dynasty by sweeping Cignal in their best-of-three finals affair.
It was an emotional rolleroaster climb back to the top for the Cool Smashers, battling through a series of do-or-die clashes before reclaiming the throne they last held in the 2024 Invitational Conference.
“I’m speechless. I can’t describe it. Trinabaho talaga namin. Hindi naging madali yung journey namin, but we’re thankful that in the end, nakuha namin,” said veteran setter Jia De Guzman after orchestrating the offense with 31 excellent sets.
Indeed, Creamline had to dig deep after stumbling in the fourth set as Cignal kept it close in the deciding fifth set with Conference MVP Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos firing attacks on all angles.
An attack error from Santos and a Pangs Panaga block on Vanie Gandler gave the Cool Smashers a crucial 13-10 lead, before Gandler tried to stop the bleeding with a down-the-line spike.
But that turned out to be the Super Spikers’ last stand as back-to-back points from Tots Carlos, including a solid block from Gandler, sealed the victory.
Meanwhile, Capital1’s Bella Belen joined the other individual awardees after capturing the Rookie of the Conference and Best Outside Spiker trophies, along with Cignal’s Gel Cayuna (Best Setter), Nxled’s Brooke Van Sickle (Best Outside Spiker), Panaga and ZUS Coffee’s Riza Nogales (Best Middle Blockers), Farm Fresh’s Trisha Tubu (Best Opposite Spiker), and PLDT’s Kath Arado (Best Libero).

Related Tags

Creamline Cool Smashers Cignal Super Spikers PVL All Filipino Conference
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