With the pools now drawn and Creamline aware of its opponents in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, head coach Sherwin Meneses has shifted his focus to finding three reinforcements.
First on the Cool Smashers’ list is Erica Staunton, who played a pivotal role as their import during Creamline’s 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced and Invitational Conference championship runs.
“Siyempre number one diyan talagang winowork namin si Erica. Yung iba, wala pa naman. Naka-focus kasi kami sa PVL ngayon. So hopefully makakuha ng mas magandang reinforcement,” said Meneses on Wednesday after his college team, National University, defeated Adamson in the UAAP.
Creamline has been slotted in Pool A alongside Zhetysu VC of Kazakhstan and Al-Nassr Club of Jordan.
Meanwhile, Petro Gazz is in Pool B with Taipower of Taiwan and Hip Hing of Hong Kong.
PLDT has been placed in Pool D, along with Nakhon Ratchasima QminC VC of Thailand and Queensland of Australia.
The tournament will take place from April 20 to 27 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig, just a week after the PVL All-Filipino Conference.
(C) PVL Images
For Meneses, familiarity will play a role against Zhetysu VC, but his team must prepare extensively for Al-Nassr, a team they have little information about.
“Yung Kazakhstan kasi medyo nakakalaban na natin. Yung Jordan kasi talagang bago, kahit sa akin bago sa ano ko, pero aaralin mong mabuti. Siguro mas maging maganda yung bracket namin then makakuha tayo ng mga reinforcement kasi may reinforcement sa AVC,” he said.
With PLDT’s last-minute inclusion in the 12-team field, Meneses expressed excitement for Philippine volleyball, emphasizing the value of competing against international squads.
“Mas malaking tulong sa Philippine volleyball kasi talagang makakuha tayo ng mga techniques at mga highly competitor talaga na kalaban. So mas maganda kung tatlo tayo kasi Philippines naman yung lalaban.”
#WATCH: Coach Sherwin Meneses shares that Creamline
is already familiar with Zhetysu VC
and Al-Nassr Club
, making scouting easier — but expects a tough battle ahead!
@ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#PVL2025 pic.twitter.com/8BJYMP3VC2
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 12, 2025
