In a clash worthy of a championship stage, Creamline and Petro Gazz delivered a volleyball spectacle that had fans at the Araneta Coliseum on the edge of their seats – an electrifying encounter brimming with power, grit and drama from the very first serve.

But when the dust settled, it was the Cool Smashers who stood tall, showcasing their trademark poise and composure under pressure. True to form, the defending champions stitched together clutch scoring runs to close out three of four tightly contested sets, coming away with a thrilling 25-20, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20 victory in the PVL Reinforced Conference Tuesday night.

While the result may not have surprised Creamline’s loyal supporters, the manner of the win certainly turned heads – especially considering Petro Gazz’s strong opening performance. The Angels had kicked off their campaign with a dominant sweep of the Galeries Tower Highrisers, while the Cool Smashers were looking to bounce back from a grueling five-set setback to the Akari Chargers.

But if this year-ending conference has proven anything, it’s that nothing is ever certain. The competition has been defined by unpredictability and thrilling showdowns – whether in sweeps, four-set battles, or five-set marathons – and Creamline’s win over two-time champion Petro Gazz was no exception.

The two-hour, three-minute match never lacked the fire of a five-set battle. Petro Gazz, down two sets, stormed back to dominate the third and opened the fourth with a 4-0 burst that momentarily stunned the Cool Smashers. The Angels maintained the upper hand and held a slim 15-13 lead until Creamline responded with a pivotal 6-0 run.

An attack error by Lindsey Vander Weide followed by a scoring blast from Coco Schwan gave Creamline an 18-15 cushion. From there, Schwan took command – delivering timely hits, mixing power with finesse, and keeping the Angels’ defense guessing. Her off-speed scorcher late in the set pushed Creamline to the brink at 23-20.

“It took me some time to find my rhythm, but I finally found it at the end,” said Schwan, who scored 27 points after a 26-point outing in their previous match. Humble in victory, she credited her teammates for steadying her early on.

“But it was my team that gave me my rhythm. When I didn’t have it, they gave it to me. They were doing their best, and we also found energy from the fans,” she added.

Schwan also pointed to improved composure and service pressure as keys to Creamline’s bounce-back win.

“We played a little more calm and with more confidence. I think we put more pressure on our service,” she said.

With match point in sight following a crucial block on Brooke Van Sickle, the Cool Smashers gave the Angels one last chance to extend the match. But a miscue on Petro Gazz’s end sealed their fate: Jellie Tempiatura chased an overdig from Kyle Atienza that was clearly sailing out, mishandling the ball and ending the rally – and the match.

The Cool Smashers erupted in celebration as cheers echoed throughout the Big Dome, the crowd rising in unison with their team.

It was a statement win – proof that even amid a chaotic and unpredictable conference, Creamline still knows how to close when it matters most.

Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez provided solid support for Schwan, tallying 14 points apiece as the Cool Smashers overcame the absence of Jema Galanza. Valdez also delivered a vintage all-around performance, contributing 14 digs and 13 receptions on the defensive end.

Kyle Negrito kept the offense humming with 17 excellent sets, while Atienza anchored the back row with 15 excellent digs.

Van Sickle, meanwhile, powered the Angels’ Set 3 surge, finishing with 26 points – nearly matching Schwan’s output – while Vander Weide chipped in 17 markers.

However, the Angels struggled to sustain their momentum, with MJ Phillips limited to just six points and Jonah Sabete managing only four.

Rookie setter Jules Tolentino, inserted in Set 3, had a breakout performance. Her sharp playmaking helped ignite the Angels’ rally, and she added three points of her own in a promising showing.

But the Angels couldn’t keep pace in the fourth set, faltering as the Cool Smashers reasserted their dominance and showcased the championship composure that has long defined their squad.

The Cool Smashers drew first blood in what turned out to be a pulsating opening set, filled with explosive attacks and jaw-dropping defensive gems. It was a showdown between two decorated squads – a duel between relentless attackers and fearless floor defenders.

Creamline appeared to have seized early control after racing to a 17-12 cushion, but Petro Gazz refused to go away quietly, clawing its way back to trim the deficit to 17-18 and setting up a nail-biting sprint to the finish.

With the score precariously hanging at 21-20, the Cool Smashers leaned on their championship poise. In true Creamline fashion, they closed out with a flurry – stringing together the final four points in emphatic fashion to take the opening frame and ignite the already electric atmosphere inside the arena.

But the strong finish didn’t come easy.

The Angels pushed back hard, trading blows with the Cool Smashers in a fiery display of offense and defense. Spectacular rallies featured booming power hits, well-placed off-speed shots, towering blocks and clutch digs, much to the delight of the roaring crowd.

Ultimately, it was Creamline’s star trio – Carlos, Valdez and Schwan – who rose to the occasion. With clinical execution and unrelenting energy, they outdueled their counterparts, including Vander Weide. Her powerful hits tested Creamline’s defense repeatedly, but Atienza anchored a rock-solid floor game that absorbed and neutralized the attacks.

The back-and-forth battle had all the markings of a title bout – top-tier execution, big names delivering in big moments, and a crowd feeding off every point. If this opening set was any indication, fans are in for a classic rivalry renewed, with momentum swings, emotional highs and championship-caliber action at every turn.

Set 2 followed a similar script, with the match building toward a frenetic, high-stakes finish. Petro Gazz clawed back from a six-point deficit to come within one, only for the Cool Smashers to respond with another late surge.

After MJ Phillips delivered a well-timed slide play to threaten Creamline at 21-23, Valdez answered with a sharp down-the-line kill. From there, the Cool Smashers leaned on their trademark floor defense to defuse Petro Gazz’s attacks, eventually sealing the set with an off-speed hit from Schwan that caught the Angels’ middle defense flat-footed.

Like the opener, the set’s final stretch was a whirlwind of power hits, spectacular digs and a few fortunate breaks that went Creamline’s way, heightening the drama and unpredictability of the match.

Among the pivotal plays were Mich Gamit’s topspin that looked long but dropped right on the baseline, and Tots Carlos’ overpass that somehow spun into a point. Those two clutch moments broke an 18-all count and sparked another blistering Creamline run to close the set.

But the Angels came out strong in Set 3 to extend the match, and carried that momentum into the fourth frame. This time, however, the Cool Smashers were ready – and had other plans for the night.