ILOCOS Norte—Creamline, dragged into a four-setter twice to launch its title-retention drive in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference, went through a tougher, more challenging route but still came out of a winner, foiling Black Mamba Army, 20-25, 25-15, 25-27, 25-19, 15-13, to seize the solo lead at the PCV Socio-Civic Cultural Center in Bacarra on Thursday.
In a tense-filled finish dominated by the lesser-fancied Lady Troopers, heart prevailed experience as the Cool Smashers fought back from 3-9 down behind Michele Gumabao, Tots Carlos, Jeanette Panaga and Alyssa Valdez while pouncing on their rivals’ costly miscues, the last helping the Cool Smashers’ complete the come-from-behind win after Valdez put the team at match-point on a stinging kill.
Carlos, earning a starting spot after an impressive seven-hit performance in the last two sets of Creamline’s 24-26, 28-26, 26-22. 25-20 victory over Petro Gazz last Tuesday, more than tripled her previous output, finishing with 26 points, including 24 attacks.
“We made some adjustments, they worked and it’s a good thing that we were able to clinch the win,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses, whose heavily favored wards sat on pins and needles majority of the match in the face of the Lady Troopers’ superb all-around game.
“Army is a very experienced team and won’t easily give up. But Alyssa scored a crucial point, so that practically evened it all,” he added.
Valdez rued the team’s miscommunication and lack of focus, resulting to 39 unforced errors against their rivals’ 19.
“We kept on thinking what to do and worry on what would happen,” said Valdez, who backed Carlos with 20 hits. “Next time, we should play with a clear mindset so we could play our game.”
Sato and Gumabao combined for 25 points while Galanza added seven and Panada chipped in nine hits before being carried out of the court following a collision with Valdez towards the end of the match.
But it was a sorry setback for the Lady Troopers, who for most stretch of the two-hour, 10-minute encounter proved they could topple a star-studded crew as Creamline with their deliberate, well thought-out plays.
Yielding the first two points in the decider, they racked up six hits behind Ging Pabayo, Royse Tubino and Christine Francisco against a lone Gumabao attack to take command. They hiked their lead to six on a Galanza mishit.
But just when the Lady Troopers thought they had heard the last of the defending champions, Gumabao and Panaga combined for a couple of hits then Creamline pulled to within two on a couple of Army miscues.
Pabayo stalled Creamline’s charge with an off-the-block hit but the Cool Smashers kept pressing their charge, forcing a tie at 12 on a double-block off Joanne Bunag then snatched the lead on a Carlos’ ploy that had the defense spreading in anticipation of a power attack.
But the former UP standout opted for a drop into a wide-open spot and after Army drew level on the next play, Valdez banged in her last hit and the Cool Smashers clinched their third straight victory on the Lady Troopers’ mishap that marred their endgame meltdown.
Army, which drew 18 points from Jovy Gonzaga and 14 hits from Tubino, fell to 1-2 in a tie with Sta. Lucia. Francisco, Pabayo and Jeannie delos Reyes combined for 24 points.
Earlier, kept off the court for a week, Perlas finally gets the chance to come out of its shell and launch its campaign against Petro Gazz on Sunday.
Image courtesy of Jan Angelo Faustin Rosales
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