The Creamline Cool Smashers weathered a late fightback by Farm Fresh to claim the last ticket to the semifinals of the PVL On Tour on Saturday, August 9, at the Philsports Arena.
The Cool Smashers scored a 25-19, 25-19, 26-24 triumph to complete the Final 4 cast, setting up a semis showdown with the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
But to get there, Creamline needed to show some poise in the end game after the Foxies saved two match points thanks to the efforts of Trisha Tubu. An attack error by Michele Gumabao forced a 24-all deadlock, with Farm Fresh seemingly armed with momentum.
Gumabao quickly made up for her miscue, however, to give Creamline another match point, 25-24. Pangs Panaga then got some help from the tape of the net, which slowed down her serve enough to catch Farm Fresh off-guard.
“I’m just so happy right now na nakapasok kami sa semifinals. We’re super happy,” said playmaker Kyle Negrito, who fired four aces in the opening frame alone to set the tone for Creamline.
She finished with 21 excellent sets and six points, including five of the Cool Smasher’s 10 service aces.
Gumabao had 15 points, Alyssa Valdez added 12, and Jema Galanza put up 10 points in the win.
Negrito’s service game allowed Creamline to establish control early in the first set, but they were still under threat in the closing stage after Tubu fired three straight aces of her own to close the gap to four points, 23-19.
Fortunately for Creamline, back-to-back hits by Valdez and Galanza helped them close out the frame.
A more straightforward win in the second set followed, but the Cool Smashers nearly squandered a seven-point advantage in Set 3 after Rizza Cruz and Tubu came alive for the Foxies.
A service error by Caitlyn Viray put Creamline on the brink of victory, 24-21, but Tubu rejected Valdez at the net and followed it up with an off-the-block hit to keep Farm Fresh alive.
Gumabao hit the antenna in the ensuing rally, but scored in the next before Panaga’s service ace wrapped up the match in an hour and 38 minutes.
Tubu was the only player in double-digits for Farm Fresh, with 20 points. Their new signings, Ria Meneses and Ces Molina, warmed up ahead of the match but did not see action. (ABS-CBN News)