Game over?: Cool Smashers shoot for PVL All-Filipino title

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. — PLDT vs Farm Fresh

5:30 p.m. — Creamline vs Cignal

Creamline goes for the kill and a 12th overall crown against a Cignal squad going all-out to stay alive in Game 2 of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference finals today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Championship experience and poise had a huge impact on the Cool Smashers’ surprising one-sided best-of-three series opening win two days ago.

And with momentum and psychological edge on its side, Creamline goes for the jugular at 5:30 p.m. to avoid going on a sudden-death match next week.

Wingers Jema Galanza and Bernadeth Pons, and veteran setter Jia Morado-De Guzman anchored the Cool Smashers’ 25-22, 25-18, 25-16, domination last Tuesday, which drew them closer to hoisting a championship trophy following more than a year of title drought.

“We just brought Creamline’s vast championship experience into the finals. Of course, everyone wants to win but the experience we have from our past championships has played a big factor. I guess it also helps that we’re used to that kind (of championship) pressure,” said Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses, who wants to steer his squad to completing a redemption tour after losing the conference crown to disbanded Petro Gazz last year.

The quick one-hour, 39-minute victory has given the Cool Smashers the luxury of preserving their main gunners’ energy especial in a quick turnaround.

“It’s gives us a huge benefit especially we only have a day of preparation for Game 2. So, we’ll get to rest well and train without too much in our minds. It’s a big advantage for us,” Meneses said.

Galanza, who dealt with injuries during the preliminaries, and Pons delivered the goods both on offense and floor defense for the Rebisco squad. De Guzman dished out 22 excellent sets in a masterclass over the Super Spikers, who barely showed resistance in their breakthrough all-Filipino finals and first championship appearance since a runner-up finish in the 2024 Invitationals behind Creamline.

“We have to be more patient and get ready to respond on whatever adjustment Cignal will make for Game 2,” Galanza said.

Despite a severe beating in their fourth meeting in the tournament, the Super Spikers remain defiant and hopeful in sending the series to a rubber match.

“There’s still Game 2 and as we say, the championship is not decided by winning Game 1 alone,” Cignal head coach Shaq delos Santos said.

“I think we still have a good opportunity to recover and reset for us to perform better for our next game. We’ll keep on fighting until the end,” he added.

Delos Santos wants to see the same Super Spikers that defeated the Cool Smashers in five sets during the Qualifying round and in four frames in the round-robin semis.

“I told them not to put too much pressure on themselves and play the way we played before. We have to show our real game and go all-out so there will be no regrets,” the Cignal mentor added.

Primary scoring option Vanie Gandler, who had 17 points in the series opener, believes the Super Spikers can turn their campaign around.

“It was a tough loss but it’s Game 1, it’s a best-of-three series for a reason. We’re just going forward and do what we need to do to improve,” Gandler said.

“Yeah, we’re approaching the loss with our heads up, like I said, the championship series isn’t over and we know the lapses and what we did wrong so hopefully we’re able to bounce back,” she added.

Game 3, if necessary, is on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, PLDT is looking to capture a consolation bronze medal in Game 2 of the battle for third against Farm Fresh at 3 p.m.

The High Speed Hitters beat the Foxies, 22-25, 25-21, 27-25, 26-28, 15-11, to open the best-of-three series last Tuesday.

In case Farm Fresh wins to force a decider and the championship ends in two games, the third place winner will be decided through a tiebreak.