Creamline inched closer to the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference round-robin semifinals, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-21, Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The Cool Smashers stayed immaculate and kept in step with Chery Tiggo at 4-0 to move a win away from the next round while the Chargers slid to their third consecutive defeat at 1-4.
“Medyo naging careless ‘yung team noong first set pero ang importante naman doon is ‘yung paano ka naka-recover,” said Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses.
“‘Yung Akari syempre hindi naman talaga basta basta yan magpapatalo pero ‘yung 2, 3, 4th sets naging maganda ‘yung adjustment namin.”
Akari uncorked four consecutive points to take the first frame, 25-23, but the Cool Smashers vented their ire right away in the second set, 25-15.
Creamline then followed it up with a huge third period to take the 2-1 set advantage, 25-16.
The Chargers put up a lot of fight in the fourth, saving three match points to pull within three, 21-24, before Tots Carlos ended the game with a down-the-line kill.
Turkish import Yeliz Basa led the Cool Smashers with 18 points while Ced Domingo had 14 points including five blocks.
Jema Galanza added 12 points and 17 excellent receptions while Kyla Atienza registered 18 digs and 12 receptions.
Prisilla Rivera had 13 points in the losing cause while Erika Raagas got 10 points of her own.
Akari will try to re-enter the win column next Thursday against Choco Mucho at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Meanwhile, Creamline is set for an epic clash against the Crossovers on November 5 at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.
