Creamline may have missed the championship round in back-to-back conferences, but head coach Sherwin Meneses still expressed pride in his players for consistently showing up and battling through.
After failing to secure a top-two finish in the preliminaries, the Cool Smashers redeemed themselves with a commanding straight-sets win over Chery Tiggo, 25-15, 25-13, 25-22.
With the victory, they clinched their second straight bronze medal — and extended their remarkable streak to 19 consecutive podium finishes — in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Invitational on Sunday.
For Meneses, the result underscored the team’s trademark commitment to giving their all, regardless of what’s at stake — whether it’s a finals match or a battle for third place.
“Siyempre, thankful sa mga player. Talagang binigay nila ‘yung 100 percent nila dito sa game na ‘to. Kesyo third and fourth, or finals, ‘yung Creamline naman talagang nandiyan palagi. So talagang nagtrabaho ‘yung players ngayon. So thankful talaga sa kanila,” said Meneses.
Beyond the medal itself, Meneses emphasized that this kind of consistency and resilience has long defined Creamline’s culture, keeping the team firmly in the conversation as one of the league’s perennial contenders.
That resilience has been tested this year, with Bernadeth Pons tied up with the Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball squad, and both Tots Carlos and Bea De Leon still recovering from injuries.
Their absence across the PVL On Tour and Invitational forced the Cool Smashers to dig deep and rely on their depth — yet the team still managed to stay on the podium.
(C) PVL Images
“Siguro tingin ko parang tradition na rin ‘yon, e. Dati pa gano’n din naman, kahit sino ‘yung naka-lineup, sino ‘yung naglalaro, nagde-deliver talaga,” said Meneses.
“Binibigay nila ‘yung hundred percent nila. Makikita din naman talaga sa training, kaya madali magtiwala palagi sa mga bench players,” he added, pointing to the contributions of players like Rhea Villarete and Lorie Bernardo, who stepped up against the Crossovers.
For Meneses, that’s what sets Creamline apart.
Win or lose, the Cool Smashers’ competitiveness in training consistently carries over to their matches, allowing them to deliver performances that keep fans entertained every time they step on the court.
“Sa tingin ko ‘yung talagang very competitive nila palagi dun sa training, ‘di masyado naga-absent. ‘Yun naman ‘yung maganda sa Creamline, napaka-competitive nila sa training so pagdating sa game, talagang magandang panoorin,” said Meneses.
“Kesyo manalo or matalo, talagang magbibigay ng magandang laro kahit sino ‘yung kalaban. Mag-eenjoy mga fans. ‘Yun lagi namang binibigay ng Creamline na ‘di nagbabago, talagang mag-eenjoy ‘yung fans ‘pag Creamline naglalaro.”
