Entering the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference playoffs, Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses remains hopeful that their injured players can return in time for the knockout stages.
The Cool Smashers secured the third seed after a dominant 25-17, 25-15, 25-22 win over the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles on Thursday, finishing the preliminaries with a 6-2 record.
Although PLDT and Chery Tiggo can also finish with a 6-2 record if they win their final matches, Creamline’s match points would still be the best among the three.
In the knockout quarterfinals, the Cool Smashers’ opponent is now down to just two teams: either the Capital1 Solar Spikers or the defending champions, the Petro Gazz Angels.
Throughout all eight matches that Creamline played this conference, they were without the power of Tots Carlos and the veteran smarts of Alyssa Valdez, both three-time league Most Valuable Players.
“Hopefully, makabalik sila,” quipped Meneses.
“Pero hindi ko kasi masagot kasi yung medical team namin, wala pang advice,” he quickly followed.
(c) PVL Images
The playoffs will be swift, with all three rounds being knockout affairs. The quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday and Tuesday, then the semifinals will be next Thursday.
The championship match takes place on August 31.
Meneses, however, emphasized that Creamline will be ready with or without their two stars.
After all, American import Erica Staunton, along with Bernadeth Pons and Michele Gumabao, have been filling the gaps.
Adding to the Cool Smashers’ challenges, Jema Galanza is also absent due to her commitments with Alas Pilipinas, which will keep her out until the Invitational Conference.
“Ready naman kami kung hindi sila makabalik, or makabalik sila. Ready naman yung team, especially yung mga bench players nagco-contribute naman talaga nang husto. Hopefully, kung makabalik anytime, kung hindi makabalik, ready,” said Meneses.
The bench’s readiness was evident against the Thunderbelles, as Lorie Bernardo started in place of Gumabao in the opposite position and contributed eight points in two sets of play.
The chemistry built by the Cool Smashers through years of roster continuity is now in the spotlight as the team faces these challenges.
“Nung nag-start yung conference talagang tinignan namin yung mga situation na mangyayari kahit na iba iba yung nasa first six namin, pero ngayon, siguro nakakaeight games na kami, ang masasabi ko talaga na nakukuha na namin yung advantage ng chemistry namin sa loob ng game,” said the multi-titled coach.
“Maging maganda pa sana sa quarterfinals kasi syempre knockout game, kailangan mas focused kami dun sa ginagawa namin.”
