No longer inevitable, Creamline finds a different way to compete
- Rodolfo Dacleson II
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
Winning has long defined Creamline. The Cool Smashers are the winningest club in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) with seven titles. They are also the first-ever team to complete a Grand Slam after sweeping the three conferences in 2024 — the All-Filipino, Reinforced, and Invitational.
Then, for the first time in years, they stopped winning.
During the 2024-2025 season, Creamline failed to defend any of its titles. Its run of 19 consecutive podium finishes ended with a quarterfinal exit in the Reinforced Conference — a result that felt unfamiliar for a team used to playing deep into tournaments.
The rest of the league had caught up. The Cool Smashers' depth, rhythm, and continuity that once separated them from the field became easier to read.
For a team built on familiarity, even slight disruptions carried greater weight. Injuries, among other factors, weakened the foundation of Creamline's dominance.
With the mounting pressure, belief started to waver.
Returning setter Jia De Guzman admitted there were moments of doubt as she rejoined the team after two seasons overseas.
“With me kase, syempre, I know for a fact na it's been a while since I played with Creamline, so there was some hesitations. Kahit kaunting doubt na makaka-gel with the team ba ko as the games go by, as trainings go by,” said De Guzman in the post-match media conference.
The Alas Pilipinas captain had been away from the team after being signed by Denso Airybees in Japan's SV.League.
Despite the uncertainty, trust within the team remained intact.
“Parati akong nire-reassure ng teammates at coaches ko na kaya namin, kaya ko, at tatrabahuhin talaga namin 'yung connection sa bawat laro na kailangan namin pagdaanan. And to just trust in myself and the whole team,” said De Guzman.
“So the times na I don't feel like playing the best volleyball I'm playing, Kyle [Negrito] is there, Ate Michelle [Gumabao-Panlilio] is there, Tots [Carlos] is there, [and] everyone else is there ready to step up so parang [in the] end of the day, I don't really have anything to worry about kasi alam kong malalim ang bench namin and kaya namin saluhin ang isa't isa.”
Their faith in each other proved crucial in Creamline’s return to the finals.
The Cool Smashers overpowered Farm Fresh in the semifinals to secure their place in the championship round of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference. It was their first finals appearance since the All-Filipino Conference last year, where they fell to the Petro Gazz Angels.
Team captain Alyssa Valdez said the team focused on rediscovering itself amid the challenges.
“Siguro, in this conference, our mindset is to get to know more of us, [of] Creamline. Kasi sabi ko nga, ngayon lang ulit kami nakumpleto, so ‘yung growth namin, ‘yung journey namin — iba ‘yung growth namin. Iba ‘yung pagkakilala namin in a deeper level din talaga this conference because of all the challenges,” said Valdez, as reported by Tiebreaker Times.
With its pieces gradually falling into place, Creamline found its way back to familiar ground.
Head coach Sherwin Meneses said the motivation was simple.
“Mas gusto ng players ng Creamline na manalo, makabalik sa finals,” he told reporters.
He and his wards will face Cignal, which beat them twice in their three encounters this conference, with the most recent in the semifinals, in a best-of-three finals series.
Whether Creamline still has its championship poise remains to be seen.
What is clear by now is that the present Cool Smashers are different from the ones that once dominated the league.
They are no longer defined by inevitability.
Rather, they are defined by how they respond when that certainty is gone.
Comments