Creamline, Choco Mucho clash as Nxled eyes semis

Games Thursday, Nov. 12
Smart Araneta Coliseum

1 p.m.: Akari vs. Nxled
3:30 p.m.: FEU-DN Steel vs. AFP (Spikers’ Turf)
6 p.m.: Creamline vs. Choco Mucho

Creamline will put its 19-1 record against Choco Mucho on the line when the sister teams clash in a crucial Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series match Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Cool Smashers and the Flying Titans will meet at 6 p.m. with both teams looking to rebound from defeats and strengthen their bids for a Final Four berth.

Creamline holds a 4-1 record after PLDT handed the Cool Smashers a four-set defeat last week, ending their four-game winning streak.

Choco Mucho fell to 3-3 after a five-set loss to Akari on Saturday.

The Flying Titans were third on points before Farm Fresh and PLDT, which both held 3-2 records, met Tuesday.

Farm Fresh won that match in five sets to improve to 4-2, while PLDT dropped to 3-3, the same record as Akari.

With five elimination-round playdates remaining, every victory carries greater weight in the semifinal race.

“The losses are very degrading, pero ayun na nga, it’s part of the game. It’s part of being a professional athlete. You win and you lose. It’s just how we, as a team, handle the loss and bounce back from that,” Choco Mucho middle blocker Maddie Madayag said.

“I think, give us a day to recover and think about what went wrong and what we can do to make it better. But again, we have to fight against Creamline,” she added.

Earlier Thursday, unbeaten Nxled will seek the first semifinal berth when it faces Akari at 1 p.m.

The Chameleons have won their first five matches and will look to extend their unbeaten run against the Chargers.

“I know that every single coach is studying the games deeply. I know everybody’s got their own system and strategy, et cetera. But I really think that now, the girls are really good at doing what I’m asking them to do,” Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti said.

“So they know what I want. They don’t need a long speech or something like this. In two words, we organize our block and defense, and, at the same time, our block tactic,” he added.

Brooke Van Sickle will lead Nxled alongside Myla Pablo, MJ Phillips, Jackie Acuña and Jonah Escamillan, with setter Gel Cayuna expected to direct the offense.

Akari has won two of its last three matches under the guidance of assistant coach Eddieson Orcullo, with all three contests going to five sets.

The Chargers will count on Eli Soyud, Ivy Lacsina, Faith Nisperos, Grethcel Soltones, Chenie Tagaod and Tin Tiamzon against the league-leading Chameleons.

In the evening match, Creamline will look to its history against a Choco Mucho team it has beaten 19 times in 20 meetings since their first encounter in 2019.

The Flying Titans earned their lone victory in the rivalry in 2024, but the Cool Smashers won the next seven meetings.

Jema Galanza, Bernadette Pons, Tots Carlos, Michele Gumabao and Alyssa Valdez lead Creamline’s bid to bounce back and remain among the semifinal contenders.

Choco Mucho will rely on Eya Laure, Sisi Rosales, Kat Tolentino and Madayag as it seeks another breakthrough against its sister team.

FEU-DN Steel and AFP will also meet in a Spikers’ Turf match at 3:30 p.m.

The supplied schedule was labeled Saturday, but the listed matches are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12; the standings also reflect Tuesday’s Farm Fresh-PLDT result.