Defending champion Creamline goes for the kill against wounded Choco Mucho to complete a perfect title run in Game 2 of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference finals today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Smelling blood after taking the best-of-three series opener, the Cool Smashers are dead set on claiming their 15th straight victory in the scheduled 6 p.m. battle to extend their reign and close another fruitful season for the storied franchise.
Meanwhile, Cignal is also looking to finish off Chery Tiggo to salvage a podium finish in their 4 p.m. battle for third.
Still, the spotlight belongs to the historic clash of sister teams Creamline and Choco Mucho.
The Cool Smashers relied on their familiarity and championship experience to turn back the hard-fighting but finals novice Flying Titans, 25-23, 19-25, 26-24, 25-22, in Game 1 last Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Now, Creamline has to win one more game to lift their third straight all-Filipino championship and fifth in the conference overall.
“Our job is not yet over. We still have to prepare and be ready for Game 2. We can’t be complacent,” Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses said.
If Creamline closes another series sweep, it will be the third time for the club to go all the way undefeated after achieving the same feat in the 2019 and 2022 Open Conferences. The Cool Smashers target to pocket their seventh league title overall.
But the multi-titled mentor reminded his players to always keep their guards up as Choco Mucho will surely throw everything it has to force a rubber match.
“Knowing (Flying Titans) coach Dante (Alinsunurin) he won’t let his team go down without a fight,” Meneses said.
“Of course, his in-game strategy is always there so we just have to counter that.”
Choco Mucho made Creamline flinch in Game 1 but not enough to make it shiver as the club showed grace under pressure especially in the pivotal third set.
Veteran skipper Alyssa Valdez punched in four crucial hits late in the third set as the Cool Smashers rallied from a five-point deficit to steal the extended frame after splitting the first two.
Meneses, who has the luxury of a loaded arsenal, will again rely on Valdez, reigning conference Most Valuable Player Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, middle Pangs Panaga and setter Kyle Negrito, who has been doing an awesome job taking over the spot of now Japan-based multi-awarded playmaker Jia Morado-De Guzman.
However, having its back against the wall is nothing new for Choco Mucho.
The Flying Titans were in the same situation during the semifinals against Cignal where it staved off elimination for a breakthrough championship stint since it joined the league in 2019.
“I told them that Creamline will not go easy on us. We have to work and put extra effort into what we’re doing. We have to address our lapses and put on a mindset that we will extend this series,” Alinsunurin said.
Although outspiked by Creamline, 50-67, Choco Mucho showed brilliance in its blocking with 13 kill blocks with Maddie Madayag accounting for seven.
“We just need to maximize whatever we have at hand, and know what we need to do,” Alinsunurin said.
Despite fielding a relatively shorter rotation compared to the deep roster of the Cool Smashers, Alinsunurin is confident his stars in Sisi Rondina, Kat Tolentino, Madayag, Chery Nunag and setter Deanna Wong will get the job done.
Game 3, if necessary, is on Tuesday also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
