Creamline Loss to PLDT at Start of PVL Reinforced Conference

Competitions with a large IMPORT offering are not Creamline’s strong point, at least not during the last two editions of the PVL Reinforced Conference in 2019 and 2022.

And before the eight-time league champions even took the field for their first Reinforced Conference in two years, the Cool Smashers knew they would have to dig even deeper into their pockets with their trio of captain Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos absent.

Galanza, like the rest of her 13 co-PVL stars playing for Alas Pilipinas, will only be able to compete in the league on August 11 after their national team duties are over.

Although Carlos was sidelined with a knee injury after the second game of the previous conference championship series, Valdez remained mum about the reason for her absence on opening day.

The excellent roster may have been Creamline’s bread and butter over the years, en route to becoming the PVL’s most successful team, but it wasn’t quite enough to compete with the rescue-oriented PLDT team, which finished in the top five three times in a row.

With their roster composition uncertain, is a rare opening day loss a harbinger of things to come or just a setback before Creamline hits full throttle as they have done before?

PHOTO: Sherwin Vardeleon

Bad omen for Creamline?

Of the four editions of the important conference, Creamline managed to win only one, in 2018: the club’s first-ever PVL title.

At the next two Reinforced Conferences, it was Petro Gazz that dominated both times, with Creamline cruising to a rare bridesmaid finish in 2019 and an even rarer bronze medal in 2022.

Not only did 2019 mark the first time Creamline lost a PVL Finals series since their first championship series the year before, but it was also in the Reinforced Conference that year that they last lost on opening day.

The Cool Smashers suffered an unusual three-set defeat to the Angels, but have since won all nine of their preliminary round matches in a row.

And when the final arrived, they squandered a 1-0 series lead against a determined Petro Gazz team, who thus secured their first PVL title in franchise history.

Gold standard still within reach

Since the 2019 Reinforced Conference, Creamline has won six of the last nine PVL championships, cementing their dynastic status in Philippine volleyball.

But for their newest addition, American spiker Erica Staunton, who lost her first taste of Creamline’s volleyball style after her debut with 20 players, there’s a gold standard the Cool Smashers haven’t yet reached. That standard still needs some polishing and cleaning up.

PHOTO: Sherwin Vardeleon

“There are things we can work on, things we can clean up, things that maybe weren’t up to our level, but I think they’re all things we can focus on in training and that will make us better for the next game,” said the 23-year-old American star.

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“I should take smarter shots, maybe not try to hit as hard. They had some really good check balls from me, which allowed their defense to pick them up. By the next game, I’ll definitely know better what to do.

“Unfortunately we fell short tonight, but we plan to turn that around for the remainder of the conference.”

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