CREAMLINE may have the numbers to make the PVL’s all-must-start rule work in its favor, but figuring out the right combinations remains a challenge for the still-unbeaten Cool Smashers as they navigate the unfamiliar format of the 2026 All-Filipino Conference Siklab series.
With an intact core led by Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Bernadeth Pons, Michele Gumabao and Jia de Guzman, Creamline has the personnel to distribute playing time without sacrificing too much of its established identity.
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But the Cool Smashers are also working with one of their newest-looking lineups in recent memory, with Sheena Toring, Ishie Lalongisip, Barbie Jamili, Erin Pangilinan and Donna Paralejas among the players in the mix.
That makes the league’s experimental playing format both an opportunity to showcase Creamline’s depth and a test of how quickly its new faces can adapt to the system that has made the franchise the PVL’s most successful.
“Minsan, hindi rin namin alam kung ano ‘yung mangyayari kasi wala naman naka-experience dito sa Pilipinas ng ganitong rules, pero siyempre kailangan natin gawin kasi ‘yan ‘yung rules and format ng PVL,” head coach Sherwin Meneses said.
“Hindi namin kabisado yung format. Inaaral pa namin hanggang ngayon kung anong combination of players ‘yung maglalaro sa games, so kahit sabihin ko na alam na alam ko pero hindi ko pa rin kasi na-eexperience nang mahabang panahon ‘yung ganitong format.”
'All must start' in all-to-play rule
Under the all-must-start guidelines for the Siklab series, every registered player must appear in at least one official match, while each player on the lineup must start at least one set or before the third set. Substitutions are allowed only after either team reaches 16 points.
The rules effectively force teams to move beyond their usual starting six and give more players meaningful opportunities, making roster depth and lineup flexibility crucial considerations throughout the competition.
For Creamline, having a veteran core that already understands Meneses’ system could help ease those adjustments. The experience of de Guzman, in particular, could prove valuable in connecting different combinations and ensuring the offense remains organized regardless of who takes the floor.
Still, depth alone does not guarantee cohesion. Integrating several new players into a system built around established combinations will require communication, familiarity and time, especially in a format that limits when substitutions can be made.
“Kung sinuman ‘yung piliin nila coach na isama sa amin, trabaho namin na paganahin sila or to find a way to pull the strings and make everyone work under the same system,” de Guzman said.
“It's always been like that naman for me and Kyle [Negrito] and also Donna [Paralejas] na we don't choose who plays with us, but it is our job na to play with who is given to us.”
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