The last pair of matches for the PVL on Tour happened last night, August 17 at the Mall of Asia Arena with fans witnessing history for Philippine Volleyball.
Championship Powerhouse Creamline Claims Bronze Medal Against Cignal
Despite missing the Finals match for only the 2nd time since the league hit Pro status in 2021, the Creamline Cool Smashers still aim to make it to the podium as they battle the Cignal HD Spikers.
Creamline set the tone early in Set 1, pulling away with steady attacks and clean execution to take a commanding eight-point win.
But it was the second set where their trademark grit and composure shone through.
Trailing 20-24 after an Aleiah Torres service error, the Cool Smashers faced four set points. Michele Gumabao started the comeback with a hit, followed by Alyssa Valdez’s clutch block on Erika Santos and an off-the-block strike.
Rhea Villarete, who came off the bench to replace starting setter Kyle Negrito, then stunned the HD Spikers with a service ace to tie the set at 24.
Although a net violation briefly gave Cignal the edge, Creamline refused to fold. Michele Gamit kept them alive with a quick attack, while Jema Galanza endured a block from Jackie Acuña in a tense exchange. Gumabao stepped up to finish the job with consecutive points which was a solid block followed by a hammering spike that sealed the comeback. That set win proved to be the emotional dagger.
In Set 3, Cignal kept pace up to 14-all, but the Cool Smashers broke free with a 4-1 run to establish control. The HD Spikers attempted to rally back, only for Creamline to close the door with a decisive 4-0 finishing burst that wrapped up the straight-sets sweep.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 25-17, Set 2: 29-27, Set 3: 25-17
Gumabao paced Creamline with 21 points and earned Best Player of the Game honors, while Galanza and Valdez contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively. Pangs Panaga, rookie Sheena Toring, and Negrito added five each. Defensively, Galanza and libero Kyla Atienza anchored the backline with eight and 13 digs, while Valdez and Galanza combined for 19 receptions.
Despite settling for bronze, Gumabao reflected on the bigger picture:
“Finishing bronze may not be our best finish but it is our destiny for this conference and we’re very thankful and blessed to be here. This is our story and we are very blessed to be able to tell it.”
She added: “When I joined Creamline in 2018, we’ve always found ourselves on the podium – gold, silver, or bronze. That consistency says everything about this team. I’m proud of how we responded and stayed together.”
Head coach Sherwin Meneses, while admitting it felt different not playing in the Finals, still praised his team’s resilience:
“Sobrang iba ito – we’re used to being in the Finals, but we’re still happy because we finished the campaign on the podium. Now, we’ll focus on bouncing back in the Invitational.”
For Cignal, Heather Guino-o came off the bench to lead the scoring with 13 points. Santos managed 12 but was stymied by Creamline’s tight net defense, while Acuña and rookie Erin Pangilinan had six each. Key hitter Ishie Lalongisip struggled, limited to just four markers.
PLDT Finishes the Tournament Undefeated After an Epic 5-Set Finals Match
The PLDT High Speed Hitters are not only aiming to end the PVL on Tour without a loss but also wanted to win their first ever championship in franchise history.
But for that to happen, they had to play against a determined and focused Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
The High Speed Hitters started the match with authority, cruising in Sets 1 and 2 with identical 25-17 victories.
Middle blockers Mika Reyes and Majoy Baron imposed their presence at the net, while Savi Davison fired from the wings to keep Chery Tiggo off balance. Their strong start pushed PLDT to a 2-0 cushion, making them look poised for a sweep.
But the Crossovers refused to go quietly. Behind the firepower of Ara Galang, Cess Robles, and rookies Renee Peñafiel and Jyne Soreño, Chery Tiggo clawed back in Set 3 with a 25-19 win, finally cracking PLDT’s defense. The fourth set proved even more intense, with the Crossovers erasing a championship point at 23-24 and stealing the frame to force a decider.
Rattled but not broken, the High Speed Hitters regained composure in the fifth. Baron and Reyes delivered back-to-back blocks on Galang to establish an 8-3 lead, shifting the momentum squarely back to PLDT. Kim Dy added a sharp crosscourt kill for 12-5, before Kiesha Bedonia and Reyes capitalized on a Crossover over-receive to push the team to match point.
Chery Tiggo saved three match points, extending the suspense, but Dy fittingly ended it with a block on Robles to seal PLDT’s historic first PVL crown.
FINAL SCORES = Set 1: 25-17, Set 2: 25-17, Set 3: 25-19, Set 4: 26-24, Set 5: 15-8
Reyes, who erupted for 20 points, was named Finals MVP, while Davison led the scoring with 23. Baron and Dy contributed 13 each, and setter Kim Fajardo orchestrated the offense with 25 excellent sets which was more than doubling Chery Tiggo’s total.
“Kapit sa isa’t isa – that’s what kept us together,” said Mika Reyes, being emotional after the win. “Even when we were making errors and losing patience, we just held on to each other.”
Head coach Rald Ricafort, who steered the team to its long-awaited title, was equally overwhelmed: “After everything we’ve been through, we finally got this championship. The fans believed, and we believed in each other.”
Galang paced the Crossovers with 22 points, while Robles added 12. Hernandez chipped in eight, and rookies Peñafiel and Soreño provided six and five markers, respectively, underscoring the team’s potential moving forward.
The victory capped an immaculate 8-0 sweep for PLDT and came with a PHP 1 million prize. Chery Tiggo settled for PHP 750,000 as runner-up, while Creamline received PHP 500,000.
