All systems go
Creamline has shown no signs of slowing down in the Premier Volleyball League and with the luxury of having less pressure heading into the All-Filipino Conference Finals, the Cool Smashers are less likely to ease off the pedal anytime soon.
And to add more worries to whoever it faces in the championship tussle, that benching of Alyssa Valdez early in the eliminations has provided the defending champions an extra gear they can switch to.
“We are happy to be back on the Finals, but maybe we will push our target even higher—to win in the Finals,” coach Sherwin Meneses said.
Unlike the semifinal matchup of Choco Mucho and Cignal which went down to a deciding Game 3 on Tuesday, Creamline quickly clinched its series against Chery Tiggo to extend its winning run to 13, with no team even coming close to becoming an obstacle for the Cool Smashers to defend their title.
Creamline has also slowly eased Valdez back to playing major minutes, an added advantage for a team that has used the departure of two key players to dig through its roster and uncover hidden gems.
Setter Jia de Guzman took her talents to Japan to help Denso Airybees while middle blocker Ced Domingo shifted her focus to backstopping Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand, allowing Meneses to move up and down the roster to fill in for the two vital cogs.
Biggest factor
“We’ve been through a lot without ate Jia and Celine who both are key players but we’re really happy we’re here … and also we’re happy that [new starting setter] Kyle (Negrito) stepped up and that she knows what to do,” Tots Carlos said.
And the biggest factor for Creamline’s success so far is no secret. Everyone knows about Meneses’ proven and tested system.
“Since I started to handle Creamline, we have been using the system, no matter the position, they are all doing the same thing,” Meneses said. “So from the beginning of the conference, I said that we’re okay regardless of whoever left or who stays.”
“Everyone will step up because they will be doing the same thing. I am just lucky that Creamline’s players are really competitive.”
But Creamline also knows that that perfect run virtually accounts for nothing if it can’t back it up when the toughest part of its campaign comes.
“But of course this isn’t the end. One game at a time, one point at a time and we’ll go back to training,” Carlos said. Thesn, pointing to Meneses, she added: “Galing ‘to eh (This guy is good).”
“The job is not yet done. This is what everyone has been waiting for. We are lucky to be the first ones to reach the Finals. Let’s see who we’ll be facing and then we’ll prepare well to secure the championship,” the Creamline mentor said.
“But we’ll definitely work hard.” INQ
Controlling nature