WITH championship experience on their side, the Creamline Cool Smashers took Game 1 of the Premier Volleyball League 2nd All-Filipino Conference Finals on Thursday evening.
The Cool Smashers, who have six championships to their name, dominated the Choco Mucho Flying Titans, 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 25-22, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“Team effort talaga, so happy ako kasi lahat ng situation na nangyari ngayon, nagawan namin ng paraan,” Creamline Sherwin Meneses said, as the team drew 16 points from top hitters Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza.
“Yung Choco Mucho hindi rin talaga magpapatalo ‘yan kasi kita niyo naman, sa haba ng conference sila yung nakapasok. Mainit talaga ngayong conference. Hindi talaga kami (dapat) magpabaya pero hindi pa tapos, may Game 2 pa so trabaho ulit kami bukas.”
Carlos’ 16 attacks propelled Creamline to the series-opening victory after a close fight between two fan-favorite clubs.
“Syempre masaya kami na yun nga, we’re really happy for the fans and especially for our bosses na talagang sinusuportahan ‘tong dalawang teams na ‘to. So yun, honestly masaya lang kami na nanalo kami and yun nga marami pa kaming kailangan trabahuhin,” Carlos explained.
Pangs Panaga had 13 points, while Alyssa Valdez and Michele Gumabao each had 11 points. Bernadeth Pons scored all three of her points in the fourth set, while Kyle Negrito added four.
The Creamline Cool Smashers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans will face again on Saturday, 6 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
