THIS latest chapter of the Cignal-Creamline rivalry had a little more bite.
The Super Spikers came out on top this time, outlasting the Cool Smashers in a five-set thriller, 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 25-22, 17-15, to secure an outright semifinals berth in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
And in a match played before a heavily pro-Creamline crowd, Erika Santos made sure the noise worked in her favor.
READ: Vengeful Cignal outlasts Creamline, punches ticket to PVL semis
The Cignal star delivered four clutch points in the fifth set and later revealed how she thrived on the hostile environment.
“Masarap maglaro nang ganu’n yung crowd na parang nasa kabilang team sila lahat,” Santos said.
“Ginawa ko siyang motivation kasi may mga fans na nag-boo-boo or what tapos nakaka-puntos ka. Nakaka-proud lang na ‘bakit ang daming doubters, ito ako o,’ ‘yung mga ganun.”
Against a team like Creamline, Santos knows there’s no room to back down.
“Tine-take ko lang siya as motivation instead na tumiklop na maraming tao kasi it feels good na maglaro with that crowd,” she added.
Enough is enough
For Cignal, though, this win was about more than just surviving the moment. It was about finally flipping a script that had long favored the 10-time champions.
From their recent prelims loss to a history of heartbreak in crucial meetings, the Super Spikers came in carrying a clear message: enough is enough.
“Natutunan na talaga namin sa dami naming laro na talagang kapag Creamline ‘yung kalaban, marami talagang tao,” said setter Gel Cayuna.
“Every practice leading up to this day or even before this, we know how painful it is to lose our crucial games,” Vanie Gandler added.
“We've been through it so many times, so I think that's what we all always hold in our hearts. We’ll use that as our motivation to really fight with one another.”
This time, Cignal didn’t just endure the rivalry. It pushed back.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
