CREAMLINE has made winning look routine for much of the 2026 PVL Invitational, so against Farm Fresh, it dealt with something unusual: being too cold.
The 11-time champions had to dig themselves out of a sluggish stretch and survive a serious upset bid from the Foxies before pulling out a five-set win, one that nearly handed the Cool Smashers their first loss of the tournament.
READ: Creamline powers through in five after Farm Fresh puts up fight
Jaja Santiago-Minowa, who has instantly become a lethal weapon in her first and brief stint with the franchise, admitted that it took her longer than usual to find her rhythm.
“Nu’ng una kasi, medyo ang bagal ng pasok ko, hindi pa ganun kainit siguro rin,” she said.
The veteran middle blocker eventually found her fire when Creamline needed it most, delivering three crucial blocks in the fifth set to finish with 17 points and help her side finally put away very game Farm Fresh.
“The connection, we're still figuring out din with Kyle. Kyle is ok, it's just me, ‘yung kulang kanina. But towards the end, it's the experience talaga and ‘yung mentality ng team ‘yung nagdala du’n,” she said, talking about setter Kyle Negrito.
Battle-tested Creamline
That experience was precisely what head coach Sherwin Meneses saw take over in the deciding set.
After four sets marked by miscommunication and shaky reception, the Cool Smashers suddenly looked like themselves again, racing to a blistering 10-1 start in the tiebreak and limiting the Foxies to just four points.
“‘Yung pressure game sa fifth set, lumabas ‘yung pagka-experienced ng mga players namin. ‘Yung first four sets, maraming miscommunication at medyo hindi gumanda ‘yung serve-receive namin, pero maganda rin talaga ‘yung laro ng Farm Fresh,” said Meneses.
Jema Galanza was at the center of Creamline's escape act, erupting for a monster 26-point, 18-reception, 11-dig triple-double, as they moved another step closer to a finals berth.
But for Galanza, the bigger takeaway was that the Cool Smashers have been here before and have seen enough games nearly slip away because of their own lapses.
And so, with the finals now within reach, they do not want any more unnecessary scares.
“Pangatlong laro na namin 'to and I think, medyo malaking chance na rin talaga na makapasok kami ng finals. Nasa isip ko talaga na ayaw na namin itong pabayaan kasi ito na, nandito na kami," she said.
“Marami na rin kaming mga games dati na nandu'n na, tapos biglang mawawala. Ito, ayaw na namin pabayaan kasi nandu’n na kami, malapit na kami.”
Creamline got away with being cold this time. But with the road to the finals getting shorter, the Cool Smashers know they can no longer afford to wait too late to catch fire.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
