CREAMLINE flexed its championship mettle by dethroning two-time defending champion Petro Gazz, 25-23, 25-19, 25-18, in the knockout quarterfinals of the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
By eliminating the Angels, the Cool Smashers avoided the franchise's worst finish in 15 conferences over a seven-year period while playing without key players Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, and Tots Carlos.
Creamline is one win away from extending its perfect PVL podium streak since joining the league in 2017.
'Do-or-do'
With bigger shoes to fill all-conference long, Pons bared the eight-time PVL champs’ unique approach to knockout matches — treating each match as a ‘do-or-do’ since ‘dying’ isn’t an option.
“Sabi nga namin sa isa’t isa, it’s a do-or-do, so we’re not gonna die,” she said.
But firm in the Cool Smashers’ minds is the fact that the risk of elimination still stays.
“‘Yung mindset pa rin is it’s a do-or-die game para hindi namin makalimutan na laglagan ‘yung games. Do-or-do kasi ayaw talaga naming magpatalo, gusto talaga namin na makuha ‘yung game na ‘to.
“Coming into this game talaga, lahat kami gusto namin na makuha ‘tong game na ‘to para ma-extend namin hanggang finals, so we’ll take it one game at a time.”
It took a joint 46-point performance from Pons, Staunton and Michele Gumabao to put Petro Gazz away in straight sets for the first time since the preliminary round of the 2023 All-Filipino Conference.
With only a day to prepare, the Cool Smashers seek to win their first Reinforced Conference crown in seven years, but must first overcome reigning silver medalist Cignal that has won eight of its last nine in import-laden play.
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