MANILA — Creamline's main playmaker Jia de Guzman praised her team's focus as the Cool Smashers dominated from start to finish in Game 1 of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Finals.
After losing back-to-back matches to the Super Spikers, the Cool Smashers rewrote the script in the championship opener as the two squads added a new chapter to their emerging rivalry.
Cignal took down Creamline in the semis, 25-13, 13-25, 25-16, 25-16, as well as in the qualifying round, 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 25-22, 17-15.
However, the Cool Smashers showed a glimpse of their championship pedigree, said de Guzman, as they took Game 1 in commanding fashion, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16.
READ: PVL: Creamline dominates Cignal in Game 1 sweep, inches closer to All-Filipino crown
“We’d like to think that it’s a glimpse of [the team’s championship pedigree],” said de Guzman. “But there are things that we can do better going into the next game.”
The veteran playmaker emphasized that the Finals present a different challenge, noting the team’s deliberate effort to move on from their earlier setbacks.
“We know kasi what happened in the regular round. Tapos na ’yun. The Finals is a different story. And we did our best talaga to prepare, to work with the strengths of Creamline, and believe that we can execute the best way we can coming into this game,” said the Ateneo de Manila University product.
“And thankful naman kami. Hindi kami surprised, pero very thankful kami na we were very focused from start to finish.”
De Guzman added that Creamline appears to be peaking at the right time but remains grounded heading into Game 2.
“We’re very thankful na paunti-unting nagje-jell talaga ’yung team. We’re peaking at the right time. Ibang klaseng laban naman ’yung Game 2. So tonight, 'yung instructions sa’min is to really rest, recover, and tomorrow we go back to training. Regardless of the result today, may training talaga bukas, and we’re focused na lang,” she said.