Five-peat-seeking Creamline showed no mercy in its relentless bid for another Premier Volleyball League (PVL) title, steamrolling past Choco Mucho, 25-19, 25-15, 25-15, in the All-Filipino Conference semifinals on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Cool Smashers needed just an hour and 14 minutes to dispatch the Flying Titans and secure their seventh consecutive finals appearance.
Creamline booked a best-of-three championship showdown against Petro Gazz.
With a fully loaded and healthy roster, Creamline proved too dominant for a Choco Mucho squad hampered by injuries. Playmaker Kyle Negrito orchestrated the offense with precision, tallying 17 excellent sets and earning Best Player of the Game honors.
Four Cool Smashers scored in double figures, with Bernadeth Pons leading the charge with 14 points she collected from 12 kills, an ace and a kill while tallying 16 excellent receptions and seven digs.
Tots Carlos added 13 markers while Alyssa Valdez and Pangs Panaga scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Middle blocker Bea de Leon also made her presence felt with nine points, including four kill blocks.
Choco Mucho struggled against Creamline’s suffocating defense, holding star spiker Sisi Rondina to just seven points. Isa Molde led the Flying Titans with nine, while Royse Tubino also managed seven.
Choco Mucho, winless in three outings in the semifinals, will battle Akari for a consolation bronze medal.
Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series tips off Tuesday at the Araneta Coliseum, with the Cool Smashers seeking their 11th title and the Angels vying for their first All-Filipino crown.
Petro Gazz, which survived a sudden-death quarterfinal against ZUS Coffee, stunned the competition by sweeping the Final Four. Their emergence as a title contender signals a new challenge to Creamline’s reign, setting up a highly anticipated showdown.