CREAMLINE needed its 'happy happy' mantra back to regain its groove after a failed grand slam bid in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference.
The Cool Smashers looked like their old cool, confident selves as they exacted revenge on the Chery Tiggo Crossovers - the same team that quashed their bid of making it to a PVL Finals for the eighth straight time.
[READ: Panaga glad to play her best game infront of mom]
"Coming from a loss talaga last [game], nanalo kami pero hindi kami nag [finals]. Ang gusto lang namin is maka-recover 'yung team sa hindi paglalaro sa finals," coach Sherwin Meneses said after the 25-22, 22-25, 25-5, 25-19 win over the Crossovers in the opener of the consolation series for third place."'Yun ang maganda ngayon. Naging happy ulit 'yung team, especially 'yung mga middle namin, maganda ang pinakita - [Risa] Sato at Pangs [Jeanette Panaga]."
But Meneses admitted it was a hard pill to swallow for the 2022 Open and Invitational Conference champions to miss the finals for the first time since 2018.
"Mahirap especially yung kahapon sa training namin. Nagusap-usap naman kami na wala na tayong magagawa diyan. Just finish strong lang," he said.
"Sabi ko nga, buong taon na tayong naglaro. So kung ito lang 'yung aabutin ngayon sa last conference, eh tanggapin namin. So bawi na lang kami sa mga susunod na conference."
For now, the Cool Smashers are fired up to wrap the season with another podium finish with a win in Game 2 on December 8 at the PhilSports Arena.
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