The Creamline Cool Smashers showed on Thursday why they are the defending champions of the PVL All-Filipino Conference.
They beat fellow powerhouse Petro Gazz, in a five-set marathon, 25-22, 23-25, 25-27, 25-19, 15-13, to stay undefeated at 5-0 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Angels, meanwhile, fell to 4-2.
Tots Carlos finished as Creamline's second-leading scorer with 16 points behind Michele Gumabao's 19, and rose to the occasion after a series of successful hits, including the game-winner, in the final set.
Grethcel Soltones and Jonah Sabete, meanwhile had 23- and 22-point performances for Petro Gazz respectively.
Both squads saw a tightly contested fight, with the scoring still tied at 18-18 late in the fourth set.
Despite Jeanette Panaga committing a service error to give Petro Gazz a one-point lead, Creamline went on a 7-1 run, starting with Carlos' back-to-back hits to give her squad the lead, 19-18.
Bernadeth Pons contributed through an attack, and another outside hit by Petro Gazz gave a point to the Cool Smashers.
Carlos and Pons' consecutive kills paved the way for the Cool Smashers send the match to a decider. This was the first time that Creamline went to five sets in this conference.
The pink shirts had an 8-4 lead in the last frame, and further extended it via a successful foot fault challenge.
However, the gritty Angels fought back, scoring consecutive points to reduce the gap courtesy of Chie Saet and Soltones, 10-7.
Jema Galanza pushed Creamline ahead, 11-7, before the Angels won the next three points to make it a one-point game, 11-10. Back-to-back hits by Galanza and Pons gave Creamline some breathing room, before a Sabete kill kept the Angels alive, 13-11.
Unfortunately for the Gazz Angels, Remy Palma committed a service error that put Creamline at match point, 14-11. An Aiza Maizo-Pontillas hit and a Creamline miscue briefly kept Petro Gazz in the hunt, but Carlos drilled a down-the-line kill to complete the win for the Cool Smashers.
