All-Filipino Conference. Reinforced Conference. Will the Invitational Conference be next? Take a look at the Creamline Cool Smashers' campaign for a record PVL grand slam.
Is this the season for sweeping with the Creamline Cool Smashers?
The GV-Kada is at the brink of making history after reaching the final of the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference.
One win in the knockout game on Thursday means the pink squad would win all three conferences in a single season--making history in the PVL's professional era.
In 2018, Creamline actually managed to win the Reinforced and the Open Conferences--but was naturally not eligible for the Collegiate tournament.
Now, the Cool Smashers have a chance to win it all.
The 2024 All-Filipino Conference win was a special one.
It wasn't a sweep like what happened in the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference. Creamline absorbed three losses in the preliminaries--signaling to everyone that the Cool Smashers were in fact, fallible.
The best-of-three finals were poetic, as Bea de Leon and Dennise Lazaro-Revilla became pivotal in beating their former team--the Choco Mucho Flying Titans--for the title.
It's their sixth in the All-Filipino/Open conference.
With veteran setter Jia de Guzman showing support at the sidelines, it was a vote of confidence for playmaker Kyle Negrito.
It was also the crowning for Jema Galanza as Finals MVP. Add her to the exclusive pink club of awardees.
From blue to pink, this Ateneo Blue Eagles squad is a real one.
The Reinforced Conference though changed the landscape.
Bottom-dwelling teams got a shot at top-tier players during the first-ever Rookie Draft. The playing field was further leveled, as teams tapped experienced and veteran imports.
Creamline barely made any changes--selecting Aleiah Torres in the draft. They also picked the young Erica Staunton as reinforcement.
Creamline though received a handicap, as Jema Galanza was called up for Alas Pilipinas duties--therefore missing the tournament.
That also meant no Jia for Creamline still.
As if to make things extra difficult for the Cool Smashers, team captain Alyssa Valdez and main gun Tots Carlos sat out the conference due to "minor injuries".
It was up to Michele Gumabao to lead inside the court.
Turns out, they were just fine.
Brushing off five-set losses to the PLDT High Speed Hitters and the Petro Gazz Angels, Creamline swept the Akari Chargers to win the Reinforced Conference after six years.
And this time, it was Bernadeth Pons who picked up both the Conference MVP and the Finals MVP awards.
MVPons, legitimized.
Now, there's one final hurdle--the Invitational Conference.
Recall it was Asaka Tamaru who delivered the championship ace for the Kurashiki Ablaze in last year's tournament.
But the Japanese team is a bit different now--with Tamaru suiting up for the Farm Fresh Foxies instead.
And the Cool Smashers showed they can beat the Japanese squad in the preliminaries.
MVPons is just chilling, casually dropping triple-doubles in six outings.
Oh, and Jema Galanza is back.
Can they win it all on Thursday and make history?