Creamline saw the return of Alyssa Valdez but it was Tots Carlos who owned the night with a stellar outing in the defending champion's 25-22, 25-22, 25-17, beating of new-look Chery Tiggo on Tuesday in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The reigning Most Valuable Players was unstoppable reverting to her original position of opposite hitter as she finished with 24 points highlighted by an efficient 21-of-38 attacking for the Cool Smashers' opening day win in Pool A.
Carlos, who was an open spiker during Creamline's season-opening All-Filipino Conference conquest, added nine digs in an all-around game.
The Cool Smashers took the fight out of the retooled Crossovers, who paraded their young guns led by Eya Laure, with a decisive 12-4 blitz to shatter a 7-7 deadlock for a 19-11 lead.
Reigning conference MVP Ced Domingo pushed Creamline's lead to 21-12 off a kill block. The Cool Smashers from there cruised to their 98-minute victory with Jema Galanza and Michelle Gumabao sealing the win with back-to-back kills.
"First, congratulations to our team for preparing well against Chery Tiggo because we know they made good recruitment. Our players know how strong Chery is, so they just put their focus on the game," Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses said.
Galanza had 12 markers and five receptions while Domingo had six for the Cool Smashers. New recruit Bernadeth Pons was scoreless in one set of action off the bench.
Valdez started for Creamline to finish with three points and 10 digs in her comeback after skipping the All-Filipino Conference to recover from a right knee injury she sustained in the Reinforced Conference battle for third December last year.
"It's in our plan to have her in our first six because she has fully recovered. After the Southeast Asian Games and even before the SEA Games, she's already recovered. It's in our plan and training to field her," Meneses said.
Laure was the only Chery Tiggo player in double figures with 14 points, Mylene Paat was limited to nine markers while Pauline Gaston had nine playing middle blocker.
Meanwhile, Jovelyn Gonzaga announced her return to Cignal with a rousing comeback performance in the HD Spikers' 18-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-22, victory over Petro Gazz.
Gonzaga, who last played for Cignal back in 2020 in the defunct Philippine Superliga, scattered 13 points and was active on defense with 20 digs and six receptions.
Ces Molina blasted 21 spikes for team-high 22 markers while Roselyn Doria and Ria Meneses made 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the HD Spikers.
Grethel Soltones had 22 points with all but one coming off kills while Jonah Sabete ended with 21 markers and 13 digs in a losing effort for the Angels.