PVL: Cool Smashers seek sweep
Games today
4 p.m. – Chef’s Classic vs PacificTown Army
6 p.m. – BaliPure vs Creamline
Unless Alyssa Valdez decides to join the national training camp earlier than scheduled or Jia Morado remains indisposed, Creamline could be heading to a sweep of the first round elims of the Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan today.
Up against a struggling BaliPure side, the defending champions set out as the heavy favorites in their 6 p.m. encounter where the latter try to complete an eight-game romp in the first phase of the nine-team elims of the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The 16-member national training pool, which includes Valdez and Morado, is set to leave for Thailand tomorrow for a 12-day camp before plunging into action in the Southeast Asian Grand Prix set Sept. 20-22 which will serves as part of the squad’s buildup for the SEA Games the country is hosting Nov. 30-Dec. 11.
But Valdez and Morado have committed to anchor the Cool Smashers’ bid against the Water Defenders, who could only churn out two wins against four defeats, including a sorry five-set setback to the surging BanKo-Perlas Spikers last Wednesday.
In contrast, Creamline held PacificTown Army in three to nail its seventh straight victory with Valdez spearheading their charge with 18 points and Jema Galanza stepping up to fire 14 markers and Michele Gumabao and Risa Sato combining for 13 points.
Morado failed to see action the last time out due to stomach flu but Kyle Negrito filled up the slack and produced 18 excellent sets and finished with two points. Morado, however, is expected to suit up today and anchor the Cool Smashers’ expected romp against the likes of Grazielle Bombita, Menchie Tubiera, Shirley Salamagos, Mhae Mendoza and Satriani Espiritu.
Bombita actually sizzled with a conference-high 31 points but the Water Defenders fell short in a pressure-packed endgame, dropping a 25-19, 18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 12-15 decision to the Perlas Spikers, who moved to solo second at 5-2.
PacificTown Army, meanwhile, tries to check a three-game skid as it faces winless Chef’s Classic in the 4 p.m. opener. The veteran-laden Lady Troopers swept their first two games against BanKo Perlas and Motolite but dropped the next three and fell to fifth behind third-running Motolite (4-1) and No. 4 PetroGazz (4-2).
