CREAMLINE shoots for the second semifinals berth as it tangles with Chery Tiggo in a showdown of unbeaten teams today in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Santa Rosa Multipurpose Sports Complex.

The Crossovers may have already secured a place in the top four with a 5-0 record, but coach Aying Esteban hopes that his troops will sustain their high level of play in the 5:30 p.m. duel with the Cool Smashers.

“Alam ninyo naman na yung one game at a time namin na paghahandaan,” said Esteban. “Maganda kasi parehas kaming nag-rest ng mahaba. Pag-aaralan namin kung ano man ang mga dapat na strategy na gagawin namin sa doon Creamline.”

“Actually ang skills naman ng players namin halos magkaparehas lang din naman. So pagandahan na lang talaga kung sino ang aangat. It’s a game of momentum. Siguro kung makuha namin ang momentum, we will go for it,” he added.

Both the Cool Smashers and the Crossovers were coming off a more than a week of rest and they will enter this marquee match-up very fresh.

“It will be a tough game for sure. Creamline is a good team. We had more days between the games. To have a good game, I hope so,” said Jelena Cvijovic, the Chery Tiggo reinforcement who has been doing superb in other aspects to back up top locals Mylene Paat, Cza Carandang and EJ Laure.

The Cool Smashers have lived up to their lofty billing, having won all of their four matches.

Definitely, the Crossovers are a good test for the Cool Smashers. Creamline is coming off a 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 victory over Akari last October 27, where the five-time champions dropped the opening set.

“I think malaking bagay din yung experience namin from today’s game going into the next one,” said Creamline setter Jia de Guzman, referring to the match against the league’s newest club.

“Medyo wake up call din for us na kailangan bawat laro, 100 percent ang ibigay namin. 200 percent talaga, hindi lang 100 percent kasi alam namin na pinaghahandaan din kami ng ibang teams.”

“Looking forward kami to going up against Chery where we know that they are not going to give it us easily, so pagtatrabuhuan talaga namin,” she added.

Ced Domingo, the Cool Smashers’ main middle blocker, is expected to have a battle with erstwhile college teammate Carandang, who have found a home with the Crossovers, while Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza hope to produce their usual numbers to keep them going.

PetroGazz, which has a 2-1 record in third place, seeks to remain in the top four range as it plays PLDT in the first match at 2:30 p.m.

The Angels are tipped to prevail over the High Speed Hitters, who lost three in a row after a conference-opening win. PetroGazz was supposed to play F2 Logistics at the same Laguna venue last week but the match was postponed due to Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng.”