Sherwin Meneses confident Creamline will bounce back from missing the podium for the first time since joining the PVL in 2017

The Creamline Cool Smashers’ storied run in the Premier Volleyball League hit an unexpected snag as the powerhouse squad crashed out of the Reinforced Conference quarterfinals, bowing to the Petro Gazz Angels, 23-25, 19-25, 25-16, 14-25, on Monday, November 24, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The loss marks the first time in 19 PVL conferences that Creamline will finish outside the podium. Since joining the league in 2017, the Cool Smashers had never placed lower than third—until now.

Head coach Sherwin Meneses urged his team to accept the moment and use it as fuel to return stronger in the next conference.

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“Records are made to be broken, so maybe this was just the time it happened. But again, the most important thing is accepting the loss. Petro Gazz really deserved the win. They played extremely well, especially after losing their import. Their team truly has championship caliber,” Meneses said in the post-match press conference.

“We have to accept what happened. As a coach, that’s the best thing I can say right now. There are still many conferences ahead, so it’s better for us to accept this early. No one wants to lose, of course. This is Creamline’s first time experiencing not making the semifinals. So it depends on the attitude and the resilience of the players — how they handle this. But there is still plenty of time to bounce back,” he added.

Despite the early exit, Creamline’s import Courtney Schwan delivered an impressive PVL debut, finishing with a team-high 17 points against Petro Gazz. The American standout grew emotional reflecting on the defeat and the uncertain futures of some of her teammates.

“I have been crying since I got in the locker room. Everybody was so welcoming and I’m just grateful for being here and the opportunity. I’d say with great admiration for the way that the Filipinos admire and support volleyball. The atmosphere after the game was very sad. We got a couple of girls on the team that are not going to be on the team or they are retiring,” said Schwan.

With their campaign cut short, the Cool Smashers now shift to a spectator role as the semifinals unfold. Akari faces Petro Gazz in the first Final Four matchup, while ZUS Coffee meets PLDT in the second semifinal on Thursday, November 27, at the Big Dome.

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