Creamline faced a lot of doubts and adversities before raising their eighth Premier Volleyball League (PVL) trophy.

But team captain Alyssa Valdez stressed that they bravely confronted those challenges head-on, leading to a strong performance that culminated with an emphatic 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11 victory over Choco Mucho in Game 2 of their All-Filipino Conference best-of-three finals series.

Valdez, who personifies women’s volleyball’s rise to stardom, said regaining their lofty spot on top of the PVL totem pole was not easy as they encountered a lot of challenges, prompting them to doubt if they still have what it takes to become the best club team in the country.

“Our losses are a lesson. It was really a difficult conference for all of us probably because we’re really trying to figure out where we are at this point of our lives and in our careers and as a team as well, and what else we needed to improve,” Valdez said.

“This win means hope to all of us, that no matter where we are, whatever our rank is before coming into the semifinals, there’s hope that everything has a chance as long as you don’t give up.”

True enough, winning the crown wasn’t easy.

‘Our losses are a lesson.’

Unlike the previous conferences in which their mere presence can already strike fear into the hearts of their foes, the Cool Smashers struggled in the elimination round as they finish with only eight wins in 11 matches — their worst record in franchise history.

Then, they opened the semifinal round with a heart-breaking loss to the Flying Titans that snapped their 12-game winning streak to their sister franchise.

“Based on our standings, this was probably the hardest, most challenging and unpredictable for the Creamline Cool Smashers,” Valdez added.

“But I guess this is also the season that we proved to our team, to ourselves, to the coaches, and the whole management that our family will stay and stick together despite everything because of that, it’s where our faith comes from, our hope that we will hold on until the end and we’ll fight with our pink shoelaces.”

The painful setback served as a wake-up call as the Cool Smashers marched with fire in their eyes in dominating Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo to march to the best-of-three finals.

With the title — and their reputation — on the line, the Cool Smashers displayed their vintage form topped with championship experience to crush the Flying Titans in the finals.

Jema Galanza delivered an inspired performance, firing 20 points with 16 excellent receptions to emerge as Finals Most Valuable Player while Bernadeth Pons and Tots Carlos exploded with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

League Best Middle Blocker Pangs Panaga, meanwhile, also contributed 13 points and Best Setter Kyle Negrito handed out 23 excellent sets along with her two points.

Still, it wasn’t just the starting lineup that steered Creamline to victory as its second unit also stepped up to overpower the Choco Mucho squad that is missing the services of prized spikers Desiree Cheng, Aduke Ogunsanya and Kat Tolentino.

Michele Gumabao and Bea De Leon led the second unit as they dropped seven points apiece in the crucial stretch while Risa Sato and Mafe Galanza added two markers apiece.

Valdez, who played hurt, logged a single point.

“We’re the ones that help each other in the end and that’s what became our source of strength from the first loss, second, third, and even in the semis,” she said, underscoring the sweetness of their triumph.

“Our coaches, who didn’t give up on us, they’re the ones who gave us the confidence.”