PLDT is the only PVL team with an active unbeaten run against Creamline, having won its last two prelims matches over the defending champions in last year’s All-Filipino and Reinforced Conferences.
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On Saturday in Antipolo, the High Speed Hitters have a golden opportunity not just for their seventh win this conference but also to deny the Cool Smashers a 20th consecutive league victory — a streak that has ran since August 2024.
There’s some more good omen favoring PLDT ahead of this intriguing showdown.
Creamline’s two longest win streaks in PVL history — with its ongoing one being the third — both came to an end in out-of-town matches.
Its unprecedented 25-game unbeaten run from 2019 to 2021 was snapped by Chery Tiggo in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte when the league hosted a bubble conference during the pandemic.
In last year’s All-Filipino Conference, the Crossovers were also responsible for stopping Creamline on its tracks during its 19-game win streak from 2023 to 2024 in straight sets in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
It’ll now be up to the High Speed Hitters if they can tear a page off Chery Tiggo’s playbook when they battle it out at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
“Pinaka-motivation na lang siguro namin is maganda ‘yung napakita namin (against Creamline) in the past seasons pero wala talaga siyang magiging basis on our next game,” PLDT head coach Rald Ricafort said.
“‘Yun na lang talaga (pinanghahawakan namin), ‘yung paniniwala nila na kaya ng team (manalo).”
PLDT has a chance to ruin Creamline's date with destiny. The Cool Smashers are trying to match their 2021 streak of winning at least 20 PVL games in a row.
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses is wary of the challenge not only to their bid for a 20-game win streak but also a 10-0 prelims record with one last match against Galeries Tower before the qualifying round.
Leading PLDT is second-top scorer and MVP frontrunner Savi Davison, who had a 27-point, 15-reception double-double in their All-Filipino matchup last year.
“’Yung preparation for PLDT, talagang dodoblehin namin pero number one is makapagpahinga kami nang maganda. Titignan muna ulit namin kung ano ‘yung ibibigay ng scouting coaches na report kung sinong babantayan,” Meneses said.
“Knowing PLDT, contender din talaga sila ngayon. Siyempre nandyan sina (Savi) Davison. Ready kami for PLDT. ‘Yung winning streak, tsaka na lang muna namin iisipin. One game at a time muna kami.”
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