Creamline completed its perfect run in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference, winning all its 15 matches en route to the championship on a historic Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Choco Mucho came out roaring in the first but the Cool Smashers displayed a mix of maturity, wit, strength, and composure to take the game in five heart-stopping sets, 22-25, 25-20, 29-27, 24-26, 15-12, and win their third straight AFC crown in front of a Philippine volleyball record crowd of 24,459 fans inside the Big Dome.
This is also Creamline’s seventh title overall, continuing its dominance in the AFC (formerly called Open) by winning five of the last six crowns in the specific conference, while also earning their third conference sweep after their spotless campaigns in the 2019 Open and 2022 Open.
“Sa lahat ng interview ko (pag panalo, masaya ang sinasabi ko). Ngayon, sobrang saya! Syempre natapos namin yung conference ng champion and walang injury so napakasaya namin lalo na magki-Christmas,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses.
Alyssa Valdez proved her timeless worth for the Cool Smashers in the decider, unloading five points there despite barely playing in the first four frames. She drilled the championship point on a sharp crosscourt kill to end the game in two hours and 40 minutes.
It was actually the Flying Titans who took the early lead by as much as 6-3 in the final set but through the efforts of Jema Galanza, Risa Sato, Jeanette Panaga, and Michele Gumabao, they brought Creamline to match point, 14-11.
“I think no words can express how proud I am of the effort na ginawa nila today and every single game this conference. I think everyone really had their moment this conference and it’s one thing that our coaches really prepared us for this moment so, yeah. I’m very very proud,” said the clutch queen Valdez, who had eight points in limited minutes.
The record-breaking crowd that filled Araneta to the brim surpassed the 22,848 count during the UAAP Season 78 women’s volleyball Finals Game 3 between rivals Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University. Coincidence or not, Creamline ace Valdez was part of both record crowds but this time, she went off the court victorious.
Creamline continued to have the number of Choco Mucho, improving its overall encounter record to a flawless 11-0.
The Flying Titans threatened to take a 2-0 set advantage, going ahead 20-17, but the Cool Smashers calmly bounced back by unleashing eight unanswered points capped by Galanza’s denial on Maddie Madayag’s running attack to level, 25-20.
In the extended third, Tots Carlos hammered a crosscourt kill before off-the-bench Bernadeth Pons found the empty spot in the middle of Choco Mucho’s side of the court to put Creamline one set away from another triumphant AFC campaign, 29-27.
Down 21-24 in the fourth stanza, Creamline’s Carlos and Panaga went for back-to-back points before Sisi Rondina committed a costly net touch on his block attempt on Carlos to force a deuce but Madayag nailed a slide attack before Pons’ attack in the ensuing play sailed out to send the game to a fifth set.
Carlos, the 5-foot-9 open spiker out of Pampanga, was hailed as the Finals MVP after averaging 21.0 points in the two-game sweep.
“Sa totoo lang, sobrang saya namin kasi ang dami naming pinagdaanan. Mukhang madali pero yung every training, every game iba eh. Sobrang saya namin na nanalo kami at nasweep namin sobrang galing lang talaga ni Coach Sherwin,” said the best player in the title series after finishing with 26 points in Game 2.
Galanza had an all-around line of 21 points, 20 receptions, and nine digs, while Pons and Panaga chipped in 14 and 11 points, respectively.
