VOLLEY

Cool Smashers target lead share

Mark Escarlote · Oct 24, 2026, 2:07 AM

ALYSSA Valdez and Creamline bid to gain a share of the lead against ZUS Coffee on Saturday in the PVL Season 10 Siklab series. — PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PVL

Games today:

(Playtime FilOil Centre)

1 p.m. — PLDT vs Capital1

3:30 p.m. — VNS vs ClearSkiiin

6 p.m. — Creamline vs ZUS Coffee

Defending champion Creamline puts its unblemished record on the line as it shoots for a share of the top spot against winless ZUS Coffee in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Season 10 Siklab series today at the Playtime FilOil Centre.

Sporting a 2-0 win-loss slate behind idle league-leading Nxled (3-0), the Cool Smashers aim for a third win in a row in the 6 p.m.main game.

Creamline is fresh off a 27-29, 25-18, 25-19, 25-18, victory over Galeries Tower a week ago in a match that saw the return of Bernadeth Pons following her Gilas Women beach volleyball stint in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Parading a star-studded lineup is a good problem for Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses. In fact, the all-to-play format of the tournament fits perfectly for a team with such depth.

“Of course, it’s a good problem for us that our players in the national team are back. We really have to work harder. I guess it’s a blessing for us. It’s a good problem,” Meneses said of his team that is stacked up to its reserve lineup.

Meneses is also leaning on Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Alyssa Valdez, Pangs Panaga, Michele Gumabao, Bea De Leon and top setter Jia Morado-de Guzman to continue the Cool Smashers winning run.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbelles are focused on snapping a two-game skid and capturing the elusive win.

ZUS Coffee had the chance to get into the win column last Tuesday but squandered a 2-1 match lead in a sorry five-set loss to Capital1, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 20-25, 8-15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Thunderbelles are tied with PLDT just above bottom-dweller Galeries Tower (3-0).

Meanwhile, the streaking Solar Spikers battle the High Speed Hitters at 1 p.m.

Capital1 is on a two-game roll after an opening-day five-set loss to Choco Mucho. The squad outlasted Akari and ZUS Coffee, both in five sets.

All eyes are on Bella Belen, who is averaging a triple-double output for the Solar Spikers, and former Most Valuable Players Vanie Gandler and Erika Santos as well as top playmaker Julia Coronel.