CREAMLINE kept its record podium streak alive with a vengeful 25-15, 25-13, 25-22 rout of prelims tormentor Chery Tiggo in the 2025 PVL Invitational battle for third on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Cool Smashers secure a medal finish for the 19th straight PVL tournament - an unprecedented run embellished by 10 titles, four silvers and five bronze medals for the pro league's most successful club.
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That comes as a timely tonic as the Cool Smashers endure their longest stretch without a championship, having settled for silver in the All-Filipino four months ago.
Michele Gumabao scored 17 points on 58 percent efficiency to cap the Cool Smashers’ second straight bronze-medal win.
This year's MVP forerunner in Jema Galanza delivered 12 points, seven digs and seven receptions, marking the end of her three-game triple-double streak.
Chery Tiggo took a fall from grace since its preseason runner-up finish, resulting to a top four finish after losing its last two Invitational matches.
Only Ara Galang hit double figures with 10 points and five digs to hit the brakes on a rollercoaster two-month stretch for the Crossovers.
Pulling away early
With its podium streak on the line, the Cool Smashers wasted no time heating up as it unleashed one scoring run after another in the opening two sets.
Gumabao & Co. ended the first set with a 9-3 blitz before stringing together a pivotal nine-point tear midway through the second frame.
Even as the Crossovers teased a Set 3 comeback, Gumabao and Galanza traded hits in the home stretch to seize the bronze in straight sets.
"Excited din lahat kung makaka-podium ba kami and kami rin naman, yun din naman yung pinipilit namin," Gumabao said.
"Whether pinaglalabanan namin yung championship o yung third place, kailangan pareho talaga yung intensity namin and I think nabigay naman ng lahat ng tao, ng buong team kahit yung mga hindi nakitang maglaro.
"They were present and talagang focused talaga lahat so it was really a team effort and kasama na rin talaga yung energy ng mga fans kanina."
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