Creamline reasserts control, Choco Mucho survives as PVL race tightens 

Power and poise carried the day for the league’s heavyweights.

At the Playtime Filoil Centre, the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference tightened even further Tuesday night as Creamline Cool Smashers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans delivered statements in contrasting but equally telling fashion.

Creamline, wary of a brewing upset, slammed the door on Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-14, 17-25, 25-18, 25-23, refusing to let momentum slip twice in the same night.

The 10-time champions were reminded early that Galeries Tower would not simply fold. After cruising through the opening set, the Cool Smashers were stunned in the second as the Highrisers flipped the rhythm and forced extended rallies that took Creamline out of sync. But what followed in the fourth set was the clearest reflection of championship composure — a blistering 12-1 start that left no room for another surprise.

Veteran steadiness proved decisive.

Tots Carlos once again anchored the attack with 19 points and 13 digs, while Bernadeth Pons and Jema Galanza combined for 27 markers and relentless floor coverage. Pangs Panaga imposed herself in the middle with 11 points, including two timely blocks, and Jia de Guzman orchestrated the offense with 22 excellent sets that kept Creamline’s hitters in rhythm when the match threatened to tilt.

Galeries Tower had its moments. Deloria and Asis provided consistent scoring, and the Highrisers trimmed a third-set deficit to just two at one point. But every push was met by a veteran response, including a crucial four-point run capped by a Panaga block that restored order.

Creamline secured its fourth win and stayed firmly in the hunt for a top-four finish — a reminder that while challengers are rising, the champions remain difficult to unseat.

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FOURTH SCOOP OF WINS

Tots Carlos and the Creamline Cool Smashers extend their winning streak to four after overcoming the Galeries Tower Highrisers in four sets at the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.#PVL2026 #TheHeartofVolleyball pic.twitter.com/H56yckAQr1

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) March 3, 2026

If Creamline’s victory was about control, Choco Mucho’s was about survival.

The Flying Titans outlasted Nxled Chameleons, 27-25, 28-26, 16-25, 25-19, in a match that swung wildly before settling in their favor.

It was a personal milestone for Eya Laure, who faced older sister EJ for the first time in league play. When the fourth set tightened, Eya delivered six of Choco Mucho’s final nine points in a decisive 16-4 closing tear that silenced Nxled’s comeback hopes.

Sisi Rondina powered the charge with 24 points and 20 receptions, absorbing pressure in long exchanges and answering every late surge. Laure added 13 attack points, most coming in the pivotal fourth frame, while Kat Tolentino chipped in 15 markers. Deanna Wong dished out 23 excellent sets and Thang Ponce anchored the floor defense with 21 digs.

“Sobrang happy ako sa naging performance ng team namin kasi ito naman talaga ‘yung hinahanap namin sa kanila kung paano talaga dapat maglaro,” said Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin.

The first two sets alone foreshadowed the drama. Choco Mucho squandered multiple set points in the opener before regaining composure, then survived another tense exchange in Set 2 that featured clutch hits, miscues, and momentum swings at the net. Nxled’s third-set explosion — a stunning 16-5 run after trailing early — briefly flipped the script and exposed cracks in the Flying Titans’ rhythm.

But unlike in past outings, Choco Mucho steadied itself.

For Nxled, the loss deepened a troubling slide. After opening the conference with three straight wins, the Chameleons have now dropped three in a row. Brooke Van Sickle’s 20-point, 18-reception effort and MJ Phillips’ steady production went unrewarded as late-game execution once again proved costly.

With Creamline tightening its grip near the top and Choco Mucho climbing back to .500 at 3-3 alongside Nxled and Capital1, the middle of the standings is turning into a battleground.

In a conference where momentum shifts quickly and contenders are tested nightly, Tuesday’s twin results reinforced one truth: experience still matters — but resilience might matter even more.

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