Petro Gazz’s core may have switched colors, but to Creamline, they remain the same fierce competitors—ones that always push them to bring out their very best.
For the first time since the Angels’ nucleus—led by Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, and MJ Phillips—shifted from red to green with Nxled, the Cool Smashers faced off against their former foes, reigniting a rivalry that has produced countless memorable battles over the years.
And it did not disappoint.
Creamline and Nxled, who had lost their previous three games, flipped the switch and transformed into a relentless force, engaging in a thrilling back-and-forth battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
(C) PVL Images
“Ako, ang daming feelings,” said Cool Smashers star Jema Galanza when asked if there was extra motivation in facing the same players who beat them in the finals of the last Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference and knocked them out of the recent Reinforced Conference quarterfinals.
“Excited na may kaba, na nacha-challenge kasi maganda silang kalaban. Sobrang ganda nilang kalaban—yung kailangan mong mag-isip, hindi ka lang basta papalo, hindi lang basta ipapasok. Alam mo ‘yon, kailangan mong mag-isip.”
Creamline looked poised with a 2-1 lead, but Nxled surged back with unstoppable intensity, dominating the fourth set and setting the stage for a nail-biting, winner-take-all fifth frame.
But the Cool Smashers held their nerve when it mattered most, displaying poise and precision to pull away for a hard-fought 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 15-25, 15-10 victory over the Chameleons on Saturday, leaving no doubt about their resilience under pressure.
“Nacha-challenge din yung composure namin. And ngayon, yun talaga yung nagpanalo samin,” said Galanza, who led the team with 19 points, 10 excellent receptions, and six excellent digs.
(C) PVL Images
Tots Carlos, who missed a large part of last year due to a knee injury, echoed those sentiments, saying she cherished the experience of playing high-pressure matches with a full Creamline squad—especially against their fiercest rivals.
“Siguro like what I said kanina, more of excitement kasi nga ako personally meron akong sariling goal and sariling reason going to the game,” said the three-time league MVP.
“Ako, natuwa ako na na-experience namin ‘yung ganong scenario na kasi nga sila coach, laging sinasabi na pag sumobra naman kami sa gigil, hindi makakatulong sa amin, composure lang talaga, and ‘yun nga, trabaho lang.”
#WATCH: RIVALRY NEVER DIES 🏐
Despite Petro Gazz disbanding, Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza are glad that they still get to face the Angels core who are now in Nxled#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/1L0Wq2hO4E
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/vZ8C8fAv6X
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 7, 2026
