The Creamline Cool Smashers took a step closer towards capturing the championship in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference after they tripped the Petro Gazz Angels in four sets, 25-16, 23-25, 25-12, 32-30, in Game One of the best-of-three finals on Wednesday night at the jampacked Mall of Asia Arena.
The jump-serving, power-hitting Tots Carlos came through with an off-speed hit to shatter a 30-all count in the fourth then the Cool Smashers snatched the set and the match as Seth Rodriguez fired a shot off a chance ball that sailed over the outstretched arms of two Creamline defenders and out the baseline.
The Cool Smashers produced 76 attack points against the Angels’ 41 to underscore their incredible firepower while their floor defense came up with 89 digs, 58 more than their rivals. However, despite their statistical dominance, the two-time Open champions still needed to dig deep in the fourth after taking a cruise in the third as the Angels refused to give up even after top player Grethcel Soltones cramped out of the game with the score tied at 20.
But Nicole Tiamzon stepped up, working with MJ Phillips and Jonah Sabete to drag their fancied rivals into a marathon, nerve-wracking duel of nerves. The Angels blew four set points while saving a couple of match points before Alyssa Valdez and Carlos combined in the stretch and finished with 26 points apiece.
Jema Galanza added 17 points and Jeanette Panaga fired 13 points for the Cool Smashers, who after a dominant first set win, crumbled in the second frame enabling the Angels to draw level and the crowd to go livelier and crazier.
The Cool Smashers are seeking redemption after getting upstaged by Chery Tiggo in the league’s inaugural pro staging in Ilocos Norte last year. In that series, Creamline also won the series opener but eventually fell to the Crossovers.
The Cool Smashers have since used that setback as a war cry, stamping their class with an intact roster to sweep its group prelims. They dropped the BaliPure Water Defenders in the quarters and dominated the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in two in the semis.
Phillips finished with 13 points while Soltones and Sabete combined for 23 points for the Angels.
