MANILA — Creamline Cool Smashers stormed into the PVL Reinforced Conference quarterfinals behind a composed, all-system performance, sweeping sister team Choco Mucho Flying Titans, 25-17, 25-17, 25-23, Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Cool Smashers not only secured a 5-2 slate and an outright ticket to the next round—they also handed the Flying Titans their fourth straight defeat that officially knocked them out of contention at 2-5, underscoring the sharp contrast between Creamline’s surge and Choco Mucho’s late-season unraveling.
Creamline dominated the first two sets with clinical precision, threatening to turn the rivalry match into a walkover, before Choco Mucho briefly reignited hope in the third. Royse Tubino pushed the Flying Titans ahead, 23-22, with a backrow hit, but the Cool Smashers’ veterans slammed the door shut.
Coco Schwan fired the equalizer, Michele Gumabao followed with a sharp crosscourt strike off libero Thang Ponce, and Creamline’s frontline sealed the sweep by deflecting Isa Molde’s third-try attack.
“I think nag-perform and nag-respond ‘yung team sa game ngayon especially ‘yung mga outside hitter naming. Talagang nagtrabaho sa passing at yung mga bench players nag-deliver din. Team work talaga ‘yung nagpanalo samin today,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.
Setter Kyle Negrito, who dished out 18 excellent sets and claimed Best Player honors, stressed the importance of maintaining discipline entering the crucial stretch of the preliminaries.
“Alam namin na sa mga natitirang laro, hindi puwedeng magpabaya,” said Negrito. “Kailangan naming pagtrabahuan bawat point, bawat possession. Our main goal is to execute our system properly, and we’re happy to have done that today, especially in straight sets.”
She added: “Down the stretch, composure talaga ang kailangan. We know that if we let our guard down, Choco Mucho will take advantage. Kaya pinagtrabahuan namin ‘yun.”
Schwan led Creamline with 15 points, while Gumabao chipped in nine. Tots Carlos, Pangs Panaga, Sheen Toring, Alyssa Valdez and Lorie Bernardo pooled 24 more markers in a display of the team’s depth.
Molde finished with 11 points for Choco Mucho, while import Marlee Smith mustered only five after a slow start. Tubino added six, with Maddie Madayag and Kat Tolentino combining for 12 in the loss./PN
