Losses may be tough to swallow, but what eases the pain is knowing that you gave it your all — it just wasn’t meant to be.
That has been the case for Creamline in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Invitational, where back-to-back defeats ended their bid for another championship.
Still, the Cool Smashers have a chance to extend their remarkable podium finish streak to 19 conferences as they battle the Chery Tiggo Crossovers for bronze.
Creamline, which also settled for bronze in the recent PVL On Tour, saw its Finals hopes crushed after suffering heartbreaking defeats to Chery Tiggo (20-25, 26-24, 25-21, 17-25, 15-17) and Kobe Shinwa University (25-27, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25).
Yet for head coach Sherwin Meneses and former MVP Jema Galanza, there are no regrets, knowing the team gave everything they had on the court.
(C) PVL Images
“Siguro yung mga losses namin, talagang binigay ng team yung 110-percent nila yun naman yung pinakamahalaga eh. Ibigay nila yung 110-percent nila sa mga games so kung ano yung resulta, hindi ka magsisisi kung matalo ka o manalo,” Meneses said on Friday after Creamline bounced back with a 25-15, 25-18, 25-21 sweep of ZUS to close out the elimination round.
“Kami naman, alam naman din namin sa sarili namin na ginawa namin yung best namin kaso nga hindi lang kami umabot doon sa dulo,” Galanza added.
The Cool Smashers will go for bronze on Sunday at 4:00 PM at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, just before the championship clash between PLDT and Kobe Shinwa.
While Creamline is usually in the hunt for the crown, the team would still be grateful to salvage a second straight bronze medal — as long as they remain among the PVL’s elite. After all, this is the same league they have ruled in 10 conferences.
“Hindi naman para damdamin namin (‘yung mga talo) kasi may medal pa rin naman kaming pwedeng iuwi,” said Galanza.
