THREE big names were notably missing from Creamline’s 14-player 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League squad in Tots Carlos, Bea de Leon and Denden Lazaro-Revilla.
It will be the Cool Smashers’ newest 6-foot-4 Russian import in Anastasiya Kudryashova who will take over Carlos' place as one of two lead opposite hitters along with reigning PVL Invitational Conference MVP Michele Gumabao.
READ AVC PREVIEW: Creamline eyes AVC supremacy after PVL heartbreak
Also worth noting is how the three-time PVL MVP and four-time best opposite spiker was coming off a four-month knee injury layoff prior to the 2024-25 PVL season last November.
In Carlos return which saw her play limited minutes, she normed 8.82 points in prelims play on 34.65 percent attacking efficiency.
The rest of the 10-time PVL champions’ scoring core will feature newly-crowned best outside hitter Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, Ella de Jesus, resident import Erica Staunton and team captain Alyssa Valdez.
Despite being crowned as the best middle blocker of the recently-concluded 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, de Leon was surprisingly excluded from the AVC roster as it will be 24-year-old second-stringer and University of the Philippines standout Lorie Bernardo set to take her usual post.
Completing Creamline’s wall of defenders are six-time PVL best middle blocker Pangs Panaga and 6-foot Kazakh ace Anastassiya Kolomoyets.
Defensive switch-up for Creamline
Meanwhile, rookie-libero Aleiah Torres will pick up her biggest break yet as a Cool Smasher as it will be her and Kyla Atienza who are set to man their floor defense against some of Asia’s best clubs.
Torres, who was Creamline’s lone pick of the 2024 PVL Rookie Draft, will have some big shoes to fill in taking over national team veteran Denden Lazaro-Revilla’s place.
In signing another veteran star in setter Rhea Dimaculangan-Villarete, reserve setter Mafe Galanza and Bea Bonafe also didn’t make the 14-player squad as it will be three-time PVL best setter Kyle Negrito completing the Cool Smashers’ playmaking duo.
Also excluded from the Cool Smashers’ final AVC squad are mainstay wingers Pau Soriano, Rose Vargas and Rizza Mandapat.
After missing out of the All-Filipino crown just over a week ago, redemption-seeking Creamline begins its next tour of duty in pool play of the Asian meet starting Apr. 20 against Jordan’s Al Naser Club (4 p.m.) and Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu (7 p.m.).
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