Games Thursday
1;30 p.m. – Cignal vs Farm Fresh
4 p.m. – Capital1 vs Nxled
6:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Choco Mucho
In a clash worthy of a championship stage, Creamline and Petro Gazz delivered a volleyball spectacle that had fans at the Araneta Coliseum on the edge of their seats.
But when the dust settled, it was the Cool Smashers who stood tall as they pulled off a thrilling 25-20, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20 victory in the PVL Reinforced Conference Tuesday night.
While the result may not have surprised Creamline’s loyal supporters, the manner of the win certainly turned heads – especially considering Petro Gazz’s strong opening performance.
The Angels had kicked off their campaign with a dominant sweep of the Galeries Tower Highrisers, while the Cool Smashers were looking to bounce back from a grueling five-set setback to the Akari Chargers..
The two-hour, three-minute match never lacked the fire of a five-set battle. Petro Gazz, down two sets, stormed back to dominate the third and opened the fourth with a 4-0 burst that momentarily stunned the Cool Smashers. The Angels maintained the upper hand and held a slim 15-13 lead until Creamline responded with a pivotal 6-0 run.
An attack error by Lindsey Vander Weide followed by a scoring blast from Coco Schwan gave Creamline an 18-15 cushion. From there, Schwan took command – delivering timely hits, mixing power with finesse, and keeping the Angels’ defense guessing. Her off-speed scorcher late in the set pushed Creamline to the brink at 23-20.
“It took me some time to find my rhythm, but I finally found it at the end,” said Schwan, who scored 27 points after a 26-point outing in their previous match. Humble in victory, she credited her teammates for steadying her early on.
Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez provided solid support for Schwan, tallying 14 points apiece as the Cool Smashers overcame the absence of Jema Galanza. Valdez also delivered a vintage all-around performance, contributing 14 digs and 13 receptions on the defensive end.
Kyle Negrito kept the offense humming with 17 excellent sets, while Atienza anchored the back row with 15 excellent digs.
Van Sickle, meanwhile, powered the Angels’ Set 3 surge, finishing with 26 points – nearly matching Schwan’s output – while Vander Weide chipped in 17 markers.
However, the Angels struggled to sustain their momentum, with MJ Phillips limited to just six points and Jonah Sabete managing only four.
Rookie setter Jules Tolentino, inserted in Set 3, had a breakout performance. Her sharp playmaking helped ignite the Angels’ rally, and she added three points of her own in a promising showing.
