Creamline outlasts Chery Tiggo to clinch bronze; Alyssa Valdez sustains injury

The Creamline Cool Smashers took home the bronze medal after outlasting Chery Tiggo in four sets, 25-15, 25-19, 23-25, 25-21, in the 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. 

The Cool Smashers did not waste any time to assert their mastery, securing the first two frames to go a set away from a podium finish.

But they hit a snag when team captain Alyssa Valdez went down with an injury early in the third frame. 

The veteran open hitter hurt her right knee after going for a dive to save the ball as she was helped off the floor and was not able to return to the game.

With Valdez out, Creamline fell short of a sweep as the Crossovers stole the third set with Mylene Paat, EJ Laure, and import Jelena Cvijovic showing the way, 25-23. 

But Creamline still had plenty in its arsenal to complete the win as Ced Domingo and Jema Galanza connived down the stretch for the match point, 24-20. Paat, though, helped save two match points for Chery Tiggo before Galanza put the cherry on top with a down-the-line hit as Creamline capped off a four-set romp.

Tots Carlos led Creamline with 19 points while Galanza registered with 16 markers to go along with 12 digs as Valdez finished with 10 points. Jeanette Panaga added 14 while Domingo chipped in 12. 

Paat paced Chery Tiggo with 19 points built on 15 attacks and four blocks.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News