MANILA, December 13 ------ Creamline regained its composure in time to avoid an upset at the hands of Zus Coffee, eking out a five-set victory in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena. The Cool Smashers twice squandered a one-set advantage but did enough in the clutch to secure a 25-22, 28-30, 26-24, 17-25, 15-13 result in their final match of the calendar year. They improved to 4-0, tying Cignal HD at the top of the league standings heading into 2025. "We're just very, very happy we got the win today to end the year," said Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez after the marathon match that saw the Cool Smashers trail midway through the final set before regrouping. "ZUS Coffee gave us a really hard time today, and we're just very happy we got the win today," she also said.
Bernadeth Pons and Valdez each scored 17 points, while Jema Galanza had 15 and Michele Gumabao added 14 points. The Cool Smashers had a 72-66 advantage in kills, allowing them to offset their whopping 33 unforced errors. The Cool Smashers blew a chance to wrap up the match in four sets when they gave up the first six points of the fourth frame to the Thunderbelles. Receiving proved to be an issue for Creamline, as their failure to set up their offense allowed Zus Coffee to gain the momentum.
The Thunderbelles appeared headed for a massive win when they took an 11-9 advantage off a Kate Santiago crosscourt in Set 5, but Pons scored on a crosscourt hit and Thea Gagate committed an attack error to make it 11-all. The two squads exchanged points in the next four rallies, with a Chai Troncoso hit forcing the last deadlock at 13. But Galanza, held in check for most of the match, came alive in the clutch with a booming crosscourt attack to put Creamline at match point, and Mich Gamit sent her next attack long to seal the win for the defending champions. It was a tough finish for the Thunderbelles, especially for Gamit who had torched the Cool Smashers with her running attacks repeatedly in Set 4. Creamline was more steady down the stretch, however, and they handed Zus Coffee their second loss in a row to drop their foes to 2-2. "I think even in practice, we have instances na mga ganito. So kahit sa practice pa lang, nate-train na rin namin 'yung mental toughness namin. So, good thing napupunta and nade-deliver namin, and nai-implement namin during games," said Valdez of their crunch time execution.
Five players scored in double-digits for Zus Coffee, led by Santiago with 19 points while Gagate added 15. They had 11 blocks as a team, with Santiago accounting for five rejections. Creamline had held off a last-ditch Zus Coffee comeback to win the opener, but they couldn't do the same in Set 2. Already ahead 24-22, the Cool Smashers went on to squander three set points, and a handful of late errors doomed them. Bea de Leon's service error put the Thunderbelles at set point, 29-28, and Galanza was rejected at the net in the next rally as Creamline absorbed the loss in the second frame. They bounced back in the third set, this time giving Zus Coffee a dose of their own medicine by erasing a five-point deficit. The Thunderbelles had reached set point off a Gamit running hit, 24-23, but Santiago's untimely miscue on a free ball forced an extension. Zus Coffee mishandled a Kyle Negrito serve to start the next rally, and Santiago's attack was rejected by Michelle Gumabao to put Creamline ahead, 2-1.
The Thunderbelles were not deterred by the loss, however, instead racing to a quick start in Set 4 to drag the Cool Smashers to their first five-set match of the season. But while they showed that they can go toe-to-toe with the defending champions, the youthful Thunderbelles couldn't quite close out the game.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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