Cool Smashers dominate Chargers to stay in PVL finals contention

April 1, 2025 | 6:26pm

Games Thursday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4 p.m. - Akari vs Petro Gazz

6:30 p.m. - Choco Mucho vs Petro Gazz

MANILA, Philippines — There was only one occasion in the last 14 Premier Volleyball League championship editions that Creamline wasn’t in it.

The Cool Smashers aren’t about to make it two.

On the brink of finals elimination, the proud, dynastic franchise imposed its full might on Akari with a quick, merciless 25-18, 25-19, 25-19 victory Tuesday that kept its record championship aspiration alive in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

This sealed Creamline its first win in the single-round robin semis after succumbing to Petro Gazz, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, Saturday at the Ynares Center Antipolo that shoved the former on the cusp of being cut from the finals race.

A win over sister team Choco Mucho Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum would bolster Creamline's bid of barging into the finals for the 14th time in the last 15 conferences in a magnificent stretch where it raked in 10 championships, including a four-peat feat — both league records.

“We knew how important this game was. It was a do-or-die game for us,” said Creamline middle blocker Pangs Panaga, who came through with 13 points on 10 kills, two service aces and a block.

“That’s we really worked hard to get the win,” she added.

Everyone could sense from the start Creamline’s demeanor, dominating early in the opening set and resiliently finding ways to claw back from deficits in the next two sets, including a 13-8 disadvantage in the second frame.

They knew one mistake could lead to oblivion.

Interestingly, the last time Creamline did not make the finals came in the 2022 Reinforced Conference where it ended up claiming third place.

It never happened again and there is a chance the Cool Smashers won’t let it.

Bernadeth Pons dropped a match-best 17 points while Tots Carlos uncorked 13 hits.

Creamline’s charismatic skipper Alyssa Valdez chipped in nine points herself, including her patented clutch kills that sealed the deal.

Despite the defeat, the Chargers, who turned back the Flying Titans, 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 22-25, 16-14, in their first semis outing and stumbled to 1-1, could still make it to the finals for the second time after their Reinforced Conference stint last year.

But they would have to pull the rug from under the Angels to accomplish it.

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