CREAMLINE returns to action on Thursday with confidence, momentum and, more importantly, a chance to put one foot through the finals door as the PVL Invitational resumes with a crucial triple-header where every victory could bring a team closer to the championship and every defeat nearer the exit.
The Cool Smashers hold the early advantage after winning their first two matches, giving them the solo lead in a tight race where even a slight stumble could dramatically alter the standings. Defending champion PLDT, Farm Fresh, Nxled and EST Cola of Thailand are all at 1-1, while Ho Chi Minh is at 0-2.
That makes Thursday’s schedule at the Araneta Coliseum particularly significant. Creamline faces Farm Fresh in the 1:30 p.m. opener, PLDT battles Ho Chi Minh at 4 p.m. after absorbing a shutout loss to Nxled, and Nxled takes on surging EST Cola at 6:30 p.m. in a matchup that could go down-to-the-wire.
Wednesday’s break gave all six teams a much-needed chance to recalibrate, fine-tune their systems and map out their next moves. With only three elimination playdates remaining and the top two advancing to Tuesday’s championship match, the margin for error has become increasingly thin.
Still, the spotlight will be brightest on the opening clash, where Creamline enters as the team to beat but refuses to take anything for granted.
“We expect a tougher match against Foxies,” said Jema Galanza after powering the Cool Smashers past Ho Chi Minh in straight sets on Tuesday.
Galanza has been one of Creamline’s biggest weapons in the tournament, exploding for 17 points against Nxled before adding 12 against the Vietnamese side. But against Farm Fresh, she knows production alone will not be enough.
The Foxies, meanwhile, have plenty of adjustments to make after being swept by EST Cola, with coach Koji Tsuzurabara unable to get the expected production from his key players and the supporting cast.
Trisha Tubu still led Farm Fresh with 15 points, but that was well below her 25-point explosion in their victory over Ho Chi Minh. Rookie Jonna Perdido, and veterans Riri Meneses and Ces Molina also reached double figures in that win but were held to single digits by the Thais.
