Creamline opens Grand Slam bid, faces PLDT

Games Thursday
(Philsports Arena)

2:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Creamline
5:30 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Choco Mucho

MANILA, Philippines – Creamline takes the first step toward a historic Grand Slam as it tackles opening day winner PLDT Thursday in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

The Cool Smashers topped both the Open and Invitational Conferences early this year that put them in a position to become the first team in the league to complete a slam.

Creamline skipper Alyssa Valdez knows they will be in for a tough fight.

“We’re just another team in the PVL,” said Valdez, who is back after being shelved for a month due to dengue.

Apart from Valdez, the Rebisco-owned, Sherwin Meneses-mentored franchise will parade a deep team headed by reinforcement Yeliz Basa of Turkey, Jia de Guzman, Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Ced Domingo, Jeanette Panaga, Michele Gumabao and SEA Grand Prix best libero Kyla Atienza.

They will be up against a PLDT team that boasts of 6-5 Elena Samoilenko, who uncorked a conference-high 35 points in a 17-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-11 squeaker against United Auctioneers-Army in Sta. Rosa Saturday.

Game time is at 2:30 p.m.

F2 Logistics and Choco Mucho aim to bounce back from their stinging first game defeats as they collide at 5:30 p.m.

The Cargo Movers played minus American spiker Lindsay Stalzer and libero Dawn Macandili due to health reasons and succumbed to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22, Tuesday.

There were no words yet if Stalzer and Macandili would get to play on this one but their presence should boost the campaign of F2, which has just returned after skipping the Invitational.

On the same day, the Flying Titans likewise couldn’t get their bearings going and fell to the Petroi Gazz Angels, 27-25, 25-22, 28-26.