Creamline fends off gallant Chery Tiggo to enter semis; Petro Gazz drags ZUS Coffee to Game 3

Creamline was pushed to its limit by Chery Tiggo before eking out a 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22, and marching on to the semifinals of the PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the Ynares Center Antipolo. 

The Cool Smashers had to shrug off a first-set hiccup and multiple Crossovers' comeback attempts to book the Final Four spot, joining Choco Mucho and Akari in the next round. 

Creamline has now never missed a semifinals appearance ever since joining the league in 2017---a stretch that saw the franchise win a record 10 championships, including a historic grand slam last year. 

Creamline pounded on early in the fourth set, securing a huge 19-12 lead behind collective effort from Bea De Leon, Bernadeth Pons, and Pangs Panaga. 

A Tots Carlos opposite kill then sent the reigning champions to a 23-17 cushion, before Chery Tiggo responded with a 3-0 run sparked by a Seth Rodriguez quick attack to cut the deficit to three, 20-23. 

Pons sent Creamline to the match point, but back-to-back errors from them allowed Chery Tiggo to unload two consecutive points to threaten another fightback. 

But De Leon imposed her will at the net and soared above the defense of Aby Maraño to deliver the killer blow. 

In the first game, Petro Gazz rediscovered its old form to complete a vengeful sweep of ZUS Coffee, 25-19, 25-13, 28-26, behind Brooke Van Sickle. 

Van Sickle led the charge with 17 points and eight digs while MJ Phillips, Myla Pablo, and Jonah Sabete all chipped in 11 markers to drag the Thunderbelles to a deciding Game 3.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News