FOR the second time in this preseason tournament alone, Chery Tiggo helped Creamline avoid infamy.
Earlier in the 2025 PVL on Tour, the Cool Smashers were one loss away from entering a three-game skid for the first time in eight years in the PVL.
READ: ZUS keeps playoff hopes alive, sends Creamline to 'On Tour' QFs
Creamline lost back-to-back games in pool play after getting swept by Cignal and being outlasted by ZUS Coffee in five sets.
The 12-time PVL champions ended that slump at Chery Tiggo’s expense with a 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 26-18 win to close out the Passi City leg.
Over a week later, Creamline needed another favor to reach the playoffs that had Chery Tiggo in the equation.
Entering the prelims finale in Candon City, a Chery Tiggo win over ZUS Coffee would be enough to deny Creamline an outright playoff spot for the first time.
Otherwise, the Cool Smashers advance.
The latter is exactly how things played out as Chery Tiggo blew a two sets to one lead, allowing ZUS Coffee to pave Creamline’s path for the last outright playoff spot.
Luck and learnings
In a span of less than a month, two Chery Tiggo losses enabled Creamline to dodge a franchise-worst skid and ultimately send the powerhouse side through to the next round.
Luck may have played part in the Cool Smashers’ shaky yet successful preseason breakthrough, but as head coach Sherwin Meneses once said, what matters most is how the champion side continues to learn through their usual highs and rare lows.
“Hindi naman sa’min importante kung ‘yung two games namin is natalo. Ang importante, natuto kami kung bakit kami natatalo,” he said.
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