Recommended Video
Creamline continues to prove why they are the PVL’s most successful franchise.
For only the fourth time since 2017, the Creamline Cool Smashers finished a Premier Volleyball League conference as bronze medalists.
After sweeping the Cignal HD Spikers 25-17, 28-26, 25-17 at the PVL on Tour over the weekend, Creamline secured its fourth bronze medal in franchise history — their first in three years since the 2022 Reinforced Conference.
“Siguro, lesson lang talaga sa amin is every season is different. We cannot rely on kung sino kami, our past season, kung sino kami [in] our last game. Every game is different, kaya kailangan sa practice pa lang, everyday china-challenge kami ni coach to give our 100 percent,” reflected Michele Gumabao, who has been one of Creamline’s top gunners throughout the PVL on Tour.
“So kailangan maging consistent talaga kami, and hindi talaga namin pwede balewalain ‘yung small things, kasi errors talaga namin ‘yung kumakain sa game and ‘yung tumatalo sa amin.”
However, while it is a step below their golden standards, Creamline’s PVL on Tour bronze also marks their 18th-straight podium finish in the PVL, and is a continued reminder of why they have long been the league’s most successful franchise.
For Gumabao, it’s the perfect silver lining still, given that it also shows the consistency that the Cool Smashers have poured in over the years.
“Hindi nga namin alam na 18th-straight podium finish ng Creamline ito, and we’re still consistent,” she said. “At the end of the day, it has also never been done, so to be consistent is also one of the hardest things to do.”
“Madali manalo, madali mag-champion, but to do it over and over again is also the hardest thing, so andoon pa rin. Hindi pa rin nawawala, and one season na hindi nagcha-champion is not the end for us, we just really have to do better, and we will.”
Like Gumabao, captain Alyssa Valdez is sticking to the positives towards Creamline’s bronze medal, and also believes that it is the fruit of the dedication they have shown towards their craft.
“We fell short this time, but definitely we’re gonna be very competitive and push each other to be better pa rin talaga in the coming conferences, but we’re just very very glad and every game now at this point is important,” she said.
“Everything for us is worth celebrating, and we’re just happy to be celebrating it together as a team and as a family.”
Creamline will now be turning its attention to the 2025 PVL Invitational Conference, where they hope to bounce back from their up-and-down showing throughout the PVL on Tour.
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.