While its Pool B rivals go through pressure-packed finishes to fuel their respective semis drive, Creamline continued to dominate Pool A with its sheer power, coasting to the next round with another straight-set 25-21, 25-20, 25-21 romp over PLDT in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Thursday.
The High Speed Hitters did keep it close throughout, particularly in the third frame, which they controlled early on behind Me-an Mendez, but the Cool Smashers waxed hot midway through, breaking loose from a tight 17-all count with a ferocious windup highlighted by Tots Carlos’ three straight thundering jump-serve aces.
PLDT actually fought back to within, 21-23, but Carlos was in no mood to give the High-Speed Hitters any chances for a comeback, firing away a crosscourt kill and then digging a PLDT spike and quickly picking herself up and converting it to another hit to wrap up the one-hour, 37-minute contest.
The long break following their similar 3-0 romps over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers and the Gerflor Defenders in the first two playdates of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision likewise served as a big boost for the Cool Smashers, who came into the match fresh and eager to get going again.
“Two weeks of rest worked to our advantage since we were able to prepare well (for this),” said Carlos, who bagged another Player of Game honors with a 22-hit output, including two blocks. “Na-plano din lahat ng mga coaches ang kailangan naming gawin.”
With a 3-0 slate, Creamline took the first semis seat with the defending champions tipped to complete the elims sweep against the Akari Power Chargers tomorrow for a solid record to the carry-over semis phase, which will feature top club teams from Japan and Vietnam.
“Maganda yung pagkapanalo, na-secure namin ang semis slot,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses. “I think the team will further improve, dire-diretso ang mga laro, so kailangan mag-prepare pa ng husto.”
Jema Galanza pumped in 12 points in another solid backup job while skipper Alyssa Valdez came through with 11 points in her most prolific outing since being sidelined by a knee injury last year. With middle Ced Domingo adding six points, the Cool Smashers produced 45 attack points, nine more than the High Speed Hitters.
“We didn’t expect to score a sweep pero naglaro lahat ng maayos kaya ganun ang resulta,” said Galanza, who spearhead the team’s third set assault with her stinging hits.
Mendez and Mika Reyes suited up after missing PLDT’s sweep of Akari last July 1 but the former could only put up a 10-point showing in a one-and-a-half set stint while the latter added six points in two-and-a-half set outing.
PLDT’s offense actually suffered a big blow after top hitter Jovielyn Prado sustained injury after a bad fall, sidelining her in the third after scoring nine points as the High-Speed Hitters, who out-blocked the Cool Smashers, 5-4, fell to 1-1.