The Creamline Cool Smashers. Photo from PVL Media Bureau

MANILA (UPDATED) – Creamline is back in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Finals.

The defending champions swept the coach Kungfu Reyes-less Chery Tiggo to secure their spot in the championship series, 25-16, 25-21, 25-20, in the PVL All-Filipino Conference on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

It was a revenge game for the Cool Smashers, who absorbed a straight-set loss from the Eya Laure-led crew in the preliminaries at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

Including Open Conferences, this is Creamline’s seventh consecutive finals appearances in All-Filipino tilts.

The Cool Smashers will have a chance to retain the crown and nab their 8th title.

Creamline leaned on the scoring prowesses of former Most Valuable Players (MVPs) Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez, who delivered 16 and 10 for the offense.

Best Player of the Game Kyle Negrito activated her spikers — for a total of 40 attack points — and tallied 16 excellent sets, while Denden Lazaro-Revilla protected their side of the floor with 13 excellent receptions.

The goal remains the same: defending the title, said champion coach Sherwin Meneses.

“Masaya kami at naka-finals kami ulit pero hindi pa tapos ‘yung trabaho. Ang target naman is ma-defend yung crown. Magpe-prepare muna ulit kami kung sino ‘man yung makalaban namin. Happy kami at nakabalik kami sa finals,” he said during the postgame press conference.

Meneses was impressed with his team’s performance as they wrapped up the match in only one hour and 41 minutes.

“Ngayon siguro ‘yung panalo namin ngayon, sobrang ganda kasi talagang every point pinaglalabanan ng mga players. Sana ma-improve pa namin sa finals at ma-defend namin ‘yung crown,” he said.

Meanwhile, Laure and company are relegated to the bronze medal match.

No Crossover logged double-digit scoring, with the Chery Tiggo ace pacing her team with eight points, same as captain Aby Marano.

The Flying Titans eventually booked a ticket to the championship match later in the day after pushing back Petro Gazz in four sets, 23-25, 26-24, 25-19, 25-20.