Even with the cobwebs of another championship merrymaking still there, Creamline came out all business as usual on Friday to massacre a young guest team from Thailand, EST Cola, 25-13, 25-12, 25-15, in the PVL Invitational Conference as the Cool Smashers opened their grand slam bid with much authority.
Less than 48 hours after dismantling Akari in the Reinforced Conference title game, the Cool Smashers remained unforgiving, putting the Thais out of their misery in less than an hour as Kyle Negrito sustained her stellar play and got the entire Creamline arsenal firing on all cylinders all game.
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“It feels like we’re not done yet,” Negrito, a talented setter who has gotten all the minutes after the cerebral Jia de Guzman took her act to Japan last year, said in Filipino.
“Our goal from the start (of the season) has been to go all the way in the Invitational, so we really have to put in the effort.”
Cignal, meanwhile, also got its bid going off in a swashbuckling manner after clobbering Farm Fresh, 25-16, 25-10, 25-18, in the second game where MJ Perez, who was the Best Guest Player in the Reinforced Conference, led the HD Spikers’ charge.
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Perez finished with 16 points in the rout, where she was supported by Ces Molina and Jackie Acuña, who had 11 apiece.
Cignal next faces EST on Sunday, a prelude to the HD Spikers’ awaited confrontation with the Cool Smashers that happens the following day.
After a brief respite on Tuesday, the HD Spikers will face the defending champions Kurashiki Ablaze on Wednesday, with hopes of sweeping all their matches to secure a spot in the championship game. The final is set for Sept. 12 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Strong message
Also the All-Filipino champion, Creamline is shooting to sweep all three conferences this season. And the way the Cool Smashers treated their first game here—where they had all the excuse to take it easy—certainly sends a strong message to the rest of the small field.
“Our mindset is to forget the previous conference, that’s behind us now,” Reinforced Conference MVP Bernadeth Pons, after chipping in with 10 points, said in Filipino. “This is a new conference, so we need to focus and work even harder.”
Michelle Gumabao led the Cool Smashers with 14 points, sustaining her personal brilliance in taking over with three prolific scorers out either because of injuries or national team duty.
Coach Sherwin Meneses voiced out his satisfaction with how the team played, but stressed the need for continued improvement as they shoot for the sweet sweep that eluded them in 2022.
“We’re happy with how we played,” Meneses said, also in Filipino. “But we have to maintain this level of play, so it’s back to work, to training.
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“We’re taking it one game at a time. It won’t be an easy road ahead, just like in the 2022 Reinforced Conference,” Meneses went on. “For now, our focus is on training. We’re preparing ourselves for the challenge that Kurashiki will bring.”
The Kurakashi Ablaze from Japan are the defending champions here, and Meneses would certainly want to conclude some unfinished business with the talented guests.
