Powerhouse team Creamline braces for a tougher 2024 Premier Volleyball League season as stiffer competition is expected with rival clubs making huge off-season recruitments to reinforce their rosters.
But Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses remains confident his squad can take on the challenge and claim another championship for the franchise in the yet-to-be-determined season-opening tournament set to begin on 17 February.
“Of course, all teams tried to strengthen their lineups. It’s given with all the dealings and player movements but let’s see,” Meneses said.
Just like other clubs, Creamline also made some significant moves in its roster after signing middle blocker Bea De Leon and libero Denden Lazaro-Revilla from sister team Choco Mucho.
De Leon is a timely addition to fill the spot left by 2022 Invitational Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Ced Domingo, who jumped to Akari after her contract expired.
“We just made sure that we won’t be left behind. Our team is working on the things that we need to improve on just like the other teams,” Meneses said as his squad started its first training session of the year on Monday.
Aside from Domingo, the Cool Smashers will again miss the services of prized setter Jia Morado-De Guzman, who is still competing in the ongoing Japan V.League with her club Denso Airybees.
Creamline barely felt the absence of De Guzman and Domingo, who skipped the season-ending tournament to play for Nakhon Ratchasima VC in the Thailand League, as it completed a sweep of the 2nd All-Filipino Conference for its seventh title overall.
Meneses believes that the Cool Smashers would remain as competitive as before especially with the arrival of De Leon and Revilla to reinforce an already stacked Creamline crew led by MVP winners Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza along with Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Kyla Atienza and playmaker Kyle Negrito.
“I’m excited for this season because we have additional reinforcements. They will be a big help for Creamline,” the mentor said.
“The experience they’ll bring into the team is a big factor. And being veterans, I don’t think they’ll have a hard time adjusting to our system.”
Creamline gets another crack at completing a historic season sweep after falling short last year.
The Cool Smashers ruled the 1st and 2nd AFC but finished runner-up to Japanese club Kurashiki Ablaze in the mid-season Invitational Conference.
