NOT SO FAST: Creamline frustrates Akari, keeps title bid alive

Games tomorrow:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4 p.m. — Akari vs Petro Gazz

6:30 p.m. — Choco Mucho vs Creamline

Creamline breathed life into its five-peat bid after making quick work of Akari, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19, in a crucial Game 2 win in the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference semifinals Tuesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Pushed into a precarious spot after a shocking four-set loss to Petro Gazz in the Final Four opener, the Cool Smashers displayed championship poise in a one-hour, 31-minute masterclass over a rival that they have dominated for eight straight head-to-head meetings.

Reigning Reinforced Conference Most Valuable Player Bernadeth Pons showed the way for Creamline, scattering 16 kills and a kill block for a 17-point explosion she spiked with superb floor defense of 12 digs and 15 excellent sets.

Pons accounted for five of the Cool Smashers’ scorching 11-4 run to shatter an 11-11 third set deadlock and turn it into a 22-15 advantage.

Smelling blood, Creamline then cruised into another victory over a club that has yet to win over the 10-time champion squad since joining the league in 2022.

Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses commended his wards’ response following their loss to the Angels last Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

“There’s no need to put pressure on the team. We just focused on addressing our lapses last game. Wherever the team goes, what is important is that we have identified our lapses and improve from it,” Meneses said.

Creamline tied the Chargers at 1-1 win-loss record in the round robin semis but holds a better quotient over the latter.

Tots Carlos scored 13 — all from kills — and had 10 digs while middle Jeanette Panaga delivered 13 markers for the Cool Smashers, who sat out a perfectly healthy Jema Galanza.

Skipper Alyssa Valdez finished with nine points and setter Kyle Negrito tallied 24 excellent sets to help the Creamline smash in 51 attack points.

“We’re thankful our middles worked this time. Creamline played like a team today, that’s why we got this great win,” Meneses added as the Cool Smashers inched closer to a seventh straight appearance.

Akari looked in control of the second set after taking a 13-8 lead only to surrender the driver’s seat after Creamline mounted a strong counterattack.

Eli Soyud, who scored 34 points in a five-set win over Choco Mucho in the semis opener, was limited to just 11 points on an 8-of-24 spiking clip for the Chargers.

She had little help with Ivy Lacsina and Faith Nisperos adding only eight and seven markers, respectively.