CREAMLINE OPENS AVC CAMPAIGN VS JORDAN
DENIED of a five-peat after falling to the Petro Gazz Angels at the PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals just a little more than a week ago, the Creamline Cool Smashers seek to bounce back in international play as they start their AVC Women's Champions League campaign at the PhilSports Arena on Easter Sunday.
Creamline battles Jordan club Al Naser at 4 p.m. in Pool A that also includes Kazakh champion club Zhettyzu VC, being the first of the three Philippine clubs to hit the taraflex in this international tourney.
The PLDT High Speed Hitters follow immediately when they face Australia's Queensland Pirates at 7 p.m. in Pool D.
Meanwhile, the Angels kick-start their campaign when they take on Taiwan's Pingtung TaiPower in Pool B on Monday.
Coach Sherwin Meneses said that the 10-time PVL champs Cool Smashers are now building up for the next conference and this AVC tournament is the starting point of their preparation.
"It's not really a heartbreak. We simply lost. Petro Gazz really deserved the win. But of course, for our next conference, we'll prepare better, especially for how long the season is," said Meneses.
"We'll take time to study things more carefully, but we're already starting to prepare so we can bounce back, especially here in AVC. Creamline has always been competitive."
Reinforcing the Cool Smashers this AVC tournament is their three imports bannered by American Erica Staunton, who helped Creamline capture the 2024 PVL Reinforced and Invitational Conference titles, completing a Grand Slam in the process.
Kazakhstan club VC Kuanysh teammates Anastassiya Kolomoyets and Anastasiya Kudryashova complete the Creamline reinforcements.
The Kazakh Kolomoyets is a 6-foot middle blocker while the Russian Kudrayashova is a 6-foot-4 outside hitter.
Beefing up Creamline is veteran and former national team setter Rhea Dimaculangan-Villarete, who last played for PLDT in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference.
She will join hands with Cool Smashers starting playmaker and three-time PVL Best Setter Kyle Negrito as well as Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao and Tots Carlos.
Creamline as well as PLDT and Petro Gazz need to finish top two in the pool play of their respective groups to advance to the quarterfinals.
2025-04-19T16:34:36Z