Games today:

(Ynares Center)

4 p.m. — Farm Fresh vs Cignal

6:30 p.m. — Creamline vs Petro Gazz

Creamline marches back into the Premier Volleyball League wars at full strength with the return of some key players missing in its record-setting grand slam conquest last season.

Determined to retain their All-Filipino Conference crown and capture a fifth straight championship, the Cool Smashers open their campaign in an early litmus test against title contender Petro Gazz in an action-packed encounter today at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Action erupts at 6:30 p.m. following the 4 p.m. battle between debuting Farm Fresh and Cignal.

But all eyes will be on mighty Creamline now parading healthier former Most Valuable Player (MVP) winger spikers Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos after the duo sat out the squad’s successful championship runs in the previous season’s Reinforced and Invitational Conferences due to minor injuries.

The Cool Smashers, who will still miss the services of ace setter Jia Morado-De Guzman due to her Japan stint, remain the title favorites after winning the last three editions of the all-local tournament.

Creamline left no stone unturned in its buildup for the six-month competition with a training camp in Taiwan and a tuneup game against a Japanese club upon its return to Manila.

“We’re just working to polish coach’s (Sherwin Malonzo) system, and it’s great to have more players back after taking time off due to injuries,” Valdez said.

Boasting of talents which include Alas Pilipinas standout Jema Galanza, Reinforced Conference MVP Bernadeth Pons, Invitational Conference MVP Michele Gumabao, reigning tournament Best Setter Kyle Negrito, libero Kyla Atienza and middles Jeanette Panaga and Bea de Leon, expectations are high for the crowd darling Cool Smashers.

“There’s definitely pressure to maintain our performance from past conferences,” Valdez said.

“But whenever we feel it, we remind ourselves to take it one point at a time, especially in this long conference. We need to stay intentional with every action, on and off the court, and approach each point with the right mindset.”

But the Angels, the last local club to win a title aside from Creamline in the last two years, are up to the challenge of spoiling the Cool Smashers’ debut and notch a second straight win for a share of the lead.

Petro Gazz submitted Choco Mucho in four sets last week behind reigning conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle’s 34-point performance.

“We got to come out with the same energy, same fire, for everyone. I know we play Creamline next and that’s gonna be very, very hard. We just got to come fired up and just see what kind of magic we can make work,” the Filipino-American open spiker said.

Petro Gazz will also lean on Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Remy Palma and Jonah Sabete to score another victory to join Akari on top of the 12-club field.

Meanwhile, the HD Spikers will rely on Vanie Gandler, Ces Molina, Jackie Acuña, Rose Doria, Riri Meneses and Jov Fernandez against a formidable Foxies side led by a new acquisition in former Cignal skipper Rachel Anne Daquis.

Jolina dela Cruz and Lorene Toring are expected to debut for Farm Fresh after sitting out last season due to knee injuries while rising stars Trisha Tubu, Caitlyn Viray, Rizza Cruz and Alyssa Bertolano will make their presence felt.