Creamline begins title defense vs Choco

CREAMLINE begins its title defense bid against sister team Choco Mucho in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) 2nd All-Filipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, October 15.

Alyssa Valdez (left) and Deanna Wong PVL PHOTOS 

The Cool Smashers battle the Flying Titans at 7 p.m., with their match serving as the main event of the tournament’s opening day triple-header.

Gerlor and Nxled collide at 3 p.m. to unfurl the curtains while PLDT and Cignal lock horns at 5 p.m.

“For us, we always focus on every game, not just on the finals. We prepare hard for every game, so hopefully, the outcome will be good for us. We are ready to play any team,” said Cool Smashers head coach Sherwin Meneses.

While the Cool Smashers still sport the star-studded wing spikers in Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza, they would have to compete now without longtime and eight-time PVL Best Setter Jia de Guzman, who’s already taken her talents to Japan’s V.League.

A longtime backup to de Guzman, Kyle Negrito takes the spotlight as Creamline’s main setter now and while de Guzman is definitely in a league of her own, the Cool Smashers believe that Negrito can also shine.

“Jia’s leadership and her playmaking is something we’re really going to miss, but Kyle has been our setter for quite a while now,” said Valdez.

Meanwhile, Flying Titans head coach Dante Alinsunurin said that with his team’s third place finish in Vietnam’s VTV Cup last August, the Flying Titans are gunning for something bigger this time after placing seventh in both this year’s First All-Filipino Conference and Invitational tournament.

“In our first conference, we just tried what it’s like to win games. In the second conference, we were able to win games but it was not enough. We were given a chance to compete in an international tourney, and we were able to show the system that I am giving them,” said Alinsunurin.