Cautious Creamline meets F2
Games today: (Philsports Arena)
4 p.m. — Cignal vs Petro Gazz 6:30 p.m. — F2 Logistics vs Creamline
Creamline has no room for complacency despite a hot start that saw the reigning champion dominate its first three assignments in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
So, the Cool Smashers are keeping an underdog mentality against a dangerous foe in the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers as they shoot for the solo lead today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Game time is at 6:30 p.m. following the 4 p.m. battle between Cignal and Petro Gazz.
Setter Jia Morado-de Guzman knows very well that Creamline can’t take F2 Logistics lightly especially when it seeks to bounce back from a previous setback.
“There is no easy team in this conference. So, we’re still training like we’re at the bottom of the pack,” De Guzman, who tallied 25 excellent sets the last time out, said.
The Cool Smashers are coming off a 25-18, 25-13, 25-14, Valentine’s Day drubbing of sister-team Choco Mucho for a 3-0 win-loss record in a two-way logjam on top of the standings with Chery Tiggo.
Creamline will also be extra motivated in its rematch with the same team that handed the Sherwin Meneses-mentored squad a stinging five-set loss in the PVL Reinforced Conference last year in their first meeting in the country’s first and only women’s professional league.
“F2 Logistics is a contender every conference especially right now that all of its players are back in their top form. This is also a veteran team so we need to prepare hard,” Meneses said.
“Again, we’re facing a veteran team that has good chemistry and a very skilled setter.”
‘There is no easy team in this conference.’
Meneses will pin his hopes on De Guzman’s playmaking to execute the team’s game plan and on the scoring prowess of wingers Michele Gumabao, Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza and middle Ced Domingo. Libero Kyla Atienza will also play a huge role on floor defense and the Cool Smashers’ transition to offense. Meanwhile, F2 Logistics seeks to get back in the win column after seeing its two-game winning streak snapped by Chery Tiggo, 19-25, 14-25, 16-25, last Thursday. Kim Kianna Dy is expected to rebound from a disappointing one-point outing.
Myla Pablo, who averaged nine points in her last two outings after debuting for the Cargo Movers with 21 markers, needs to rediscover her old form to help her club recover lost ground.
Aby Marano, Ivy Lacsina, libero Dawn Macandili and setter Kim Fajardo also need to play more active roles to contribute to the Cargo Movers’ cause.
In the other pairing, the HD Spikers and Angels both gun for back-to-back wins.
Cignal halted a two-game slide after beating Akari, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14, last Tuesday while Petro Gazz defeated Choco Mucho, 25-18, 25-20, 25-21, last week for a 1-1 card tied with idle PLDT.