Hot-pink in your area.
Proving themselves as queens of the Premier Volleyball League is the Creamline Cool Smashers as they bring home their 8th championship title in the PVL All-Filipino Conference 2024 at the packed Smart Araneta Coliseum last Saturday, May 12.
The defending champions faced off their sister team, Choco Mucho Flying Titans once again in the finals after last season, giving the 23,162 attendees a thrilling 5-set match (20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11) during the finals second game. Jema Galanza's smashing spree exploded the Coliseum with a 20-point performance alongside with the valiant support of Bernadeth Pons, Tots Carlos, and Jeanette Panaga tallying 17 points, 16 points, and 13 points respectively.
With the absence of the long-time setter Jia Morado and the addition of Bea De Leon and Denden Lazaro- Revilla, the team remained fearless with an 8-win and 3 loss during the preliminary round where Kyle Negrito started as their first six-setter. The Cool Smashers clutched to the finals round after defeating the Cherry Tiggo Crossovers in straight sets.
Despite being down to 2-1 in the early phase of the finals game 2, the Cool Smashers' experience and composure shone through. With the detonation of their arsenals, the team was able to extend the game to a fifth setter exhausting the high-leaping spikers, tall towers, and court defense of the Choco Mucho Flying Titans. The championship game saw a sequence of long rallies, cut-shot plays, thunder spikes, strong net defense, and digging prowess, but the Cool Smashers emerged and rose to the occasion and defended their supreme reign in the taraflex.
With the Phenom's loaded serve, the overset of Deanna Wong from the other side of the court, former teammate Bea De Leon ended the match with a defensive put away (11-15) with a total points of 103-107 for the team.
Maintaining their teams alter ego as 'Home of MVPs,' Jema Galanza grabbed the Second Best Outside Spiker and the Finals MVP award, while Kyle Negrito was hailed as the Best Setter of the conference along with Jeanette Panaga who was awarded as the Second Best Middle Blocker. On the other hand, Chocomucho's Cherry Ann Rondina was named First Best Outside Spiker. Madeleine Madayag was named First Best Middle Blocker and Tonnie Rose Ponce was named Best Libero, respectively. From the Bronze medalist, Petro Gazz's Aiza Maizo-Pontillas was named Best Opposite Spiker and Brooke Makena Van Sickle bagged the MVP of the Conference.
With the PVL 2024 All-Filipino Conference now etched in the annals of the sport, anticipation builds for the next chapter in Philippine volleyball's journey. As teams regroup and new talents emerge, fans eagerly await the next season, where rivalries will be renewed, and the pursuit of glory will resume.