CREAMLINE isn’t used to being tagged as underdogs throughout its eight-year run in the PVL.
But of all the rivals and contenders that tried to run past the 10-time PVL champions, recent history tells us there’s one team poised to put them in their place.
READ: New-look Jema energizes same-old Creamline back to PVL semis
Only PLDT has an active win streak against Creamline — one that has ran for 631 days or just about a year and nine months since the 2023 Second All-Filipino Confernece.
Their last meeting back in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference turned out to be an all-time classic in Antipolo City.
PLDT’s ace scorer Savi Davison erupted for 34 points and 17 receptions to put Creamline away in the preliminary round in five sets, 30-28, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14, ending the latter's record 19-game unbeaten
The two-hour, 52-minute contest was a scoring masterclass on both ends, with four players from each team in double figures.
Bernadeth Pons paced a rare Creamline loss with 23 points, 12 receptions and nine digs.
Another five-set thriller unfolded between the two powerhouse teams back in last year’s Reinforced Conference preliminaries.
Without Davison who at the time was recovering from a knee procedure, PLDT relied on resident Russian import Elena Samoilenko's behemoth triple-double with 34 points, 14 receptions and 13 digs to outlast Creamline.
Backed by 11-point outings from Majoy Baron and now-ZUS Coffee winger Fiola Ceballos, the High Speed Hitters eked out a 16-25, 25-22, 24-26, 25-19, 15-12 comeback in just the third match of the conference.
Creamline import Erica Staunton put up 20 points and 10 receptions in her debut loss.
PLDT first proved to be a puzzle Creamline couldn't solve back in the season-opening 2024 All-Filipino Conference where it only took four sets for the former to pin down the eventual grand slam champions.
Its 22-25, 25-14, 25-22, 27-25 victory had Davison written all over it as she dished out 27 points and 15 receptions, backed by ex-PLDT wingers Erika Santos with 15 markers and Ceballos with 13.
Not even a strong joint effort from Jema Galanza (16 points) and Tots Carlos (12 points) was enough to repulse the rock-solid High Speed Hitters.
As such, the odds are stacked against the Cool Smashers ahead of the 2025 PVL on Tour knockout semifinals against the in-form High Speed Hitters.
With six straight wins and just one set dropped, PLDT will be looking to eliminate Creamline for a first PVL Finals appearance in franchise history on Tuesday at the Big Dome.
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