Creamline Cool Smashers’ Tots Carlos throughout a recreation towards Galeries Tower Excessive Risers within the PVL All-Filipino Convention. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
Creamline’s picture of invincibility took a success final week. However whereas that first defeat put a dent on how the crew regarded from the skin, it additionally made the Cool Smashers acknowledge what they should do heading into the knockout spherical of the PVL All-Filipino Convention.
“I believe everyone knows what our lapses are. I believe it’s good to expertise [a loss] earlier than the knockout video games,” Tots Carlos mentioned, referring to a five-set loss to PLDT that floor Creamline’s 19-game successful streak to a halt.
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The Cool Smashers regarded susceptible at occasions on Thursday earlier than pulling off a dramatic second set comeback towards Galeries Tower on the way in which to a 25-15, 26-24, 25-19 win at PhilSports Area in Pasig Metropolis that finalized their spot as the highest seeds going into the qualifying section.
“The coaches at all times say that we be taught from the losses,” Carlos added after dropping 18 factors on the Highrisers. “However we additionally should not overlook that we nonetheless have extra essential video games, in order that’s what we’ll concentrate on.”
The reigning All-Filipino queens go into the following spherical as No. 1 after a 10-1 file, and as a reward, the Cool Smashers could have the lightest project within the KO stage.
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Creamline’s win additionally sealed Petro Gazz’s second-place end even when the Angels beat bottom-dweller Nxled at press time.
Regardless of taking a 30-28, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14 shock handed by the Excessive Velocity Hitters, the Cool Smashers nonetheless appear to be the powerhouse squad that simply went by way of a bump on the street.
Galeries Tower pushed Creamline within the second set after taking a 16-9 lead.
However Alyssa Valdez took issues into her personal palms to key a 15-5 ending kick to the set.
“We’ve been by way of totally different losses [in other] conferences, however they had been truly one thing that I can say, on the finish of day, as actual wake-up calls,” Valdez mentioned after contributing 16 factors.
Awoken big
“We had been humbled by that loss,” she added. “We might say that we nonetheless have so many issues to enhance on as a crew, so it was a very good loss for us if that is smart.”
And matched with being pushed in a way by the Highrisers, it’s scary to suppose what an awoken big in Creamline may very well be shifting deeper into the playoffs.
“We nonetheless should excellent our system, the minor particulars that can assist us within the endgame and would matter particularly in tight video games,” Valdez mentioned.
“Pleased to be ranked No. 1,” coach Sherwin Meneses mentioned. “However this time, we are able to’t calm down as a result of the following recreation will probably be a knockout, so that is the half the place we should always give 110 %.”
