–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
An uncharacteristic collapse in a previous semifinal match only served to motivate the Creamline Cool Smashers.
Especially Bernadeth Pons.
And it showed in the way the reigning champions blanked Akari, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19, on Tuesday in their PVL All-Filipino Conference showdown, one that allowed them to right their path toward another crown.
“We knew … that loss [to Petro Gazz] wasn’t who we are. [Bouncing back from that loss] really served as motivation,” said Pons, who finished with 17 points, 15 receptions and 12 to anchor Creamline’s victory, which averted a semifinal exit.
Facing the prospects of getting knocked off the title chase, the Cool Smashers instead foiled Akari’s bid to seal a championship berth outright and keep their own hopes of a “five-peat” and a seventh straight championship appearance alive.
“We were told to move on after that loss. We had a different goal today and focused on teamwork together with what we should really do,” Pangs Panaga said after contributing 13 attack points, the same output as Tots Carlos.
“We will be persistent in pushing ourselves so that we can return to the finals. There’s no need to pressure the team, we just have to correct and learn from our lapses,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.
The Cool Smashers were on target right off the bat, building leads of as many as seven points on a Kyle Negrito ace and Panaga’s running attack.
Another quick wallop by Panaga in the next sequence put them a point shy from sealing Set 1, and Bea De Leon secured it with a kill-block off Ivy Lacsina.
Dropping bombs
The Chargers were in control at the onset of the second set, with Eli Soyud and Lacsina heading the assault, only to be foiled by the relentless Creamline aggression anchored on Pons and Panaga.
Two sets up, the Cool Smashers didn’t let go as Pons dropped bombs one after the other that broke the last deadlock at 11 on their way to a cruise.
Pons’ off-the-block strike pushed Creamline three points from match point before Alyssa Valdez took over and delivered the final touches.
Valdez rose from the left pin and hammered the game-winner off the hands of Camille Victoria, keeping the Chargers winless against the Cool Smashers in their last eight outings.
Soyud, who assembled a personal-best 34 points for the Chargers in a semis-opening win over the Flying Titans, was held to 11 points while Lacsina added eight points, eight digs and 11 receptions.
Creamline will now focus on its next game against Choco Mucho, which could Earn the Cool Smashers a title berth.
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“After watching tonight’s game (Choco Mucho was battling Petro Gazz at press time), we’ll go back to practice tomorrow. We cannot really say what will happen on Thursday, but I’m sure we will be 100 percent,” said Meneses. INQ
