By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Diana Carlos capped off her career game with timely hits in the fifth set as the Creamline Cool Smashers edged the Cignal HD Spikers, 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14, in the PVL 1st All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Tuesday, March 26.

With the HD Spikers close to dealing the Cool Smashers their second loss at 11-14 in the fifth set, Carlos stepped up with four consecutive connections to clinch the match point at 15-14.

The defending champion Cool Smashers then completed their reverse sweep over the HD Spikers, with Jeanette Panaga blocking the attempt of Cignal’s Vanessa Gandler.

Carlos finished the match with a career-high of 38 points, built on 35 attacks and three blocks, as the Cool Smashers regained solo first place in the standings with a 6-1 win-loss slate.

“I think we [should] focus more on what is happening in the present [during the third set]. So ni-let go namin ‘yung mga nangyari nung first and second set. We really tried our best to makabawi,” Carlos said.

“Nakita ko ‘yung team namin na hindi sumuko kahit gaano kalaki ‘yung lamang ng kalaban. Madami pa kaming dapat pag-aralan. Cignal played well, so need pa namin i-angat ‘yung level ng game namin,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Chery Tiggo Crossovers clawed back from a set down to stave off the Nxled Chameleons, 23-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-20, to record their third straight win and moved up to 5-2 in the standings.

Mylene Paat led the way for the Crossovers with 15 points, while Ejiya “Eya” Laure added 12 points before being sidelined from the third set onwards after a challenging dive for the ball.

“Nag-respond sila at happy kami kasi lumabas kahit papaano ‘yung mga ine-ensayo namin, although hindi naman lahat nandoon,” Crossovers head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said.

Ivy Lacsina finished with a conference-high 20-point output, Lycha Ebon scored 14 points, while Camille Victoria and Jho Maraguinot finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively, for Nxled, which slipped to 1-5./ASC, WDJ