The Creamline Cool Smashers. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA — Creamline bucked a slow start en route to a 20-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-18 triumph over Nxled in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference on Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The defending champions got outworked in the opening canto, but flipped the narrative in the next frames, seizing Sets 2-4 for their fourth win to inch closer to a quarterfinal berth.
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"'Yung mindset namin naman is, 'yung situation, kailangan mo lang maka-recover sa mga errors and maybe sa mga miscommunication namin nung first set. So happy naman kami kasi naka-recover kami from 2 to 4 sets," said coach Sherwin Meneses during the postgame press conference.
Former MVP Michele Gumabao lamented about the lack of conversions on spikes during Set 1, and went on to share that they were reminded about it by the coaches, just in time to regroup and get the win.
"We really need to minimize our errors and to do better sa attacks namin. 'Yung din kami nagkulang talaga sa first set, 'di kami nakaka-convert," said Gumabao. "'Pag nasabihan naman kami ng mga coaches namin, we really have to apply it in the game."
In Set 2, the Cool Smashers unleashed a 10-1 run from the 3-4 count to install a 13-5 lead, dictating the rest of the period.
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During the final frame, the Chameleons still showed potential, registering five unanswered points from the 22-12 mark, concluded by a Paola Martinez kill, but the Cool Smashers found the closeout, coming from a Courtney Schwan kill and an attack error from her counterpart to wrap up the volleyball affair that lasted for almost two hours.
Schwan led Creamline with a triple-double of 14 points, 14 excellent digs, and 15 excellent receptions, while Gumabao registered 13 points on nine attacks, two aces, and two blocks.
Pangs Panaga and Tots Carlos delivered 12 and 11 markers, respectively, as rookie Sheena Toring made her presence felt with seven points and three blocks, helping Creamline on the net defense.
Meanwhile, Nxled remained winless in the tournament, absorbing its sixth straight loss. Martinez's 18-point output was for naught, as Chiara Permentilla also added 14 points for the losing cause.