Creamline Cool Smashers. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA (UPDATED) — Creamline overcame PLDT in an emotional five-set match, 22-25, 27-25, 19-25, 28-26, 15-10, to enter the win column of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Semifinals on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With the win, the Sherwin Meneses-coached squad tied Cignal with a 1-0 record, after the Super Spikers turned back Farm Fresh earlier in the day.
The Cool Smashers came back from a set down, saving multiple match points in Set 4 to overturn the game and force a decider that eventually went their way.
READ: PVL: Cignal claims early advantage in semis after 4-set win vs Farm Fresh
In the fifth set, Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons took turns in powering Creamline with their hits, coupled by PLDT errors, to unleash an 8-2 run from the 2-all count for a 10-4 lead.
Savi Davison tried keeping her team with back-to-back kills, as the High Speed Hitters eventually closed in at 12-10. Thankfully for Creamline, Pangs Panaga was there for a kill block, Pons nailed a hit, and Davison's attack went into the net that conceded the match after two hours and 34 minutes.
Before that, the Cool Smashers showed no nerves in tearing down PLDT's lead in the fourth set. Alleiah Malaluan put the High Speed Hitters to match point, 25-24, but Galanza answered back with a hit of her own.
READ: PVL: Cignal books semis ticket after thrilling win vs Creamline
After that, Tots Carlos' attack hit the antenna, but Galanza immediately gained the lost point with a kill of her own.
Panaga made a smart play in the ensuing scenario — she faked Davison, who went up for a block — clearing the way for Carlos' attack to reach set point for the first time that set, 27-26.
The Fil-Canadian star spiker then suffered an error, with her attack going wide that put the thrilling affair into a winner-take all frame.
"Nung third set, medyo malayo 'yung score nila, pero nakakuha kami ng momentum pa-end ng third set kahit natalo kami. So, alam ko talaga na kaya namin kuhanin 'yung fourth set. Kahit na lumamang sila, kaya naming humabol. And sobrang thankful lang din kasi grabe din talaga 'yung effort ng bawat isa," said Pons, who finished with 28 points and 22 excellent receptions to lead the Creamline side.
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Galanza registered 17 points, while Jia de Guzman, who tallied 20 excellent sets, took over the playmaking duties in the latter part of the game after Kyle Negrito started in the first two sets.
Meanwhile, Malaluan's career-game of 23 points, to go with 11 excellent digs and 26 excellent receptions, was wasted as the High Speed Hitters collapsed.
Davison, for her part, finished with 22 points and 14 receptions, while Kath Arado tried to stop the Creamline firepower with 28 excellent digs.
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