The race for supremacy in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference has reached a critical juncture as the top four teams — Creamline, Petro Gazz, Cignal and PLDT — brace for the treacherous pre-playoff stage.

Creamline reaffirmed its dominance by securing the No. 1 seed after a decisive victory over Galeries Tower last Thursday, closing the preliminaries with a commanding 10-1 record.

“Of course, I’m really happy again because we ranked first. I think we had a bit of an advantage since we faced a lower-ranked opponent,” head coach Sherwin Meneses said.

With 10 championship titles, including three consecutive All-Filipino crowns, the Cool Smashers remain the team to beat.

“This is the part where we need to give 101% since the eliminations are over, and we’re now preparing for the quarterfinals,” Meneses added.

Creamline will now face the last-placed Nxled (No. 12) in the qualifying round.

Meanwhile, Petro Gazz ended the preliminaries on the same day with a sweep over Nxled, extending its winning streak to nine games and matching Creamline with a 10-1 record.

‘It doesn’t matter how many wins you have.’

“I thought these past preliminaries had a good turnout for us. But at the end of the day, the playoffs are basically like a blank slate. We’re going to restart,” reigning Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

Despite having an identical record like the Cool Smashers, the Angels settled for the No. 2 seed due to a lower set-win ratio and will now face Capital1 in the qualifying round.

“It doesn’t matter how many wins you have. We’re playing Capital1, and hopefully, we win, but it all depends on how we come out with energy,” Van Sickle added.

On the other hand, Cignal dominated Akari last Tuesday, clinching the No. 3 seed through superior match points.

“We stick to the game plan, prepare well, and maintain the right mindset — both coaches and players. Conditioning is also a huge factor,” head coach Shaq delos Santos said.

The HD Spikers will battle Galeries Tower (No. 10) in the qualifying round. With their disciplined play and championship aspirations, Cignal is poised for a deep playoff run.

Fourth-seeded PLDT wrapped up the preliminaries in emphatic fashion, overpowering ZUS Coffee before a roaring crowd at the City of Passi Arena last Saturday.

The High Speed Hitters will face the Thunderbelles (No. 9) in a rematch during the qualifying round.

“Our mindset is to perform well for our next opponent,” PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort said.

While ZUS Coffee is expected to put up a fight, PLDT is already preparing for the tougher challenges ahead in the quarterfinals.

The qualifying round begins Thursday with six winners advancing to the best-of-three quarterfinals, while the losing teams will enter a play-in tournament for the remaining two quarterfinal slots, setting the stage for an intense battle in the playoffs.