Championship experience and familiarity in high-stakes matches spelled the difference for Creamline as it swept Cignal, 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, to take Game 1 of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference best-of-three finals Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons delivered the clutch hits in the first two sets, where the Super Spikers offered resistance, before the Cool Smashers completed the dominating win with a lopsided third frame.

Creamline will try to finish off Cignal on Thursday in Game 2 to reclaim the throne it lost last year to disbanded Petro Gazz.

“Happy we got the win over Cignal in straight sets. It’s good for our confidence as we head into Game 2. At least we’re able to rest better with just a day to prepare for the next game,” Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses said after drawing first blood in the team’s ninth straight all-local tournament finals.

“But we can’t be complacent because we know Cignal. They won’t be in the finals for nothing,” he added.

Galanza posted 17 points with 16 of her production coming off attacks including the game-clinching attack and added 13 excellent receptions while Pons got 11 markers, 15 digs and five excellent receptions for the Cool Smashers, who evened their conference head-to-head against Cignal to 2-2.

Tot Carlos had nine markers, Bea De Leon added seven points while setter Jia Morado-De Guzman dished out 22 excellent sets for the Cool Smashers.      

Smelling blood after taking the first two frames, the Cool Smashers raced to a 5-0 lead and never looked back to close in on their 11^th title overall.

Vanie Gandler scored 17 of her points on attacks and added 10 excellent receptions in a losing effort for the Super Spikers.

Cignal barely felt the presence of usually reliable Erika Santos as she put up a rather quiet 10 points while Gel Cayuna got outplayed by De Guzman with just 14 excellent sets under her name.