Cool Smashers hot on No. 1 spot

VOLLEY

Creamline takes the first of two steps leading to a dream elimination round sweep and claim to the top Final Four seeding when it collides with Akari while PLDT seeks to keep its slim hopes in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference alive today at the Philsports Arena.

The Cool Smashers outdueled Chery Tiggo in four sets late Tuesday to stretch their winning streak to nine with another victory in their 4 p.m. clash with the Chargers netting them the coveted No. 1 spot in the post-eliminations play of the season-ending conference.

They will cap their bid against the winless Galeries Tower in the final eliminations playdate on Tuesday.

While the defending champions remain unblemished, top hitter Jema Galanza insists they are still far from perfect, emphasizing the need to refine their skills and system heading to the grueling semis battle.

"The semifinals are getting near so we have to perfect our moves and stay focused on the system," Galanza, who marked her 27th birthday with a 16-point performance to win the player of the game citation.

Despite being out of the semis race, the 5-5 Chargers vow to exit in style with coach Jorge Souza de Brito expecting no less than the best from starters Dindin Manabat, Faith Nisperos, Erika Raagas and Fifi Sharma.

But with the way the Cool Smashers have been dishing out one big game after another, the Chargers would need to come up not just with a strong offense but more importantly a solid defense upfront in an attempt to slow down the likes of Galanza, the hard-hitting Tots Carlos and the heavy-handed Michele Gumabao.

PLDT, meanwhile, squares off with also-ran F2 Logistics in the 6 p.m. main encounter with the High Speed Hitters, at sixth spot with a 5-4 slate, needing not just to win their last two games to stay in the hunt.

They must also hope that the fourth-running Cignal HD Spikers (7-3) drop their final game assignment to the winless Gerflor Defenders on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Galeries and Gerflor face off in the 2 p.m. opener with both going all-out to break a nine-game spell and nail their first win in their maiden stint.