PVL stars thrill Victorias fans in tour finale

VICTORIAS CITY, Negros Occidental — Farm Fresh supplied the five-set drama, Creamline delivered the star power and more than 7,000 fans transformed the PVL On Tour Showdown finale into a celebration of provincial volleyball.

The packed Victorias City Coliseum hosted two contrasting matches Saturday as Negros Occidental successfully staged its first Premier Volleyball League event.

Farm Fresh recovered from a one-set deficit twice to defeat Capital1 20-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-12, 15-10 in the tour’s only five-set match.

Creamline then capped the six-week series with a 25-21, 25-16, 25-21 sweep of Galeries Tower.

The Farm Fresh-Capital1 opener delivered the night’s most unpredictable exchanges.

Capital1 won the first set before Farm Fresh leveled the match in the second.

The Solar Spikers regained the lead in the third, but the Foxies dominated the fourth 25-12 to force a decider.

Tension rose early in the fifth set when Capital1 rookie Khy Cepada unleashed a powerful spike that struck Ara Galang in the face and knocked the veteran Farm Fresh hitter to the floor.

Galang quickly recovered as the Foxies protected an 8-6 lead and began to pull away.

Ces Molina sparked the surge with back-to-back kills, while Pierre Abellana added an ace.

Mylene Paat-Rezanova and Molina delivered timely points as Farm Fresh moved closer to victory.

Capital1 stayed alive through a Farm Fresh service error, a Molina attack error and a successful block-touch challenge on an Ysa Jimenez attack that brought the Solar Spikers within 14-10.

Trisha Tubu ended the resistance with an uncontested kill into an open spot at center court, closing the two-hour, 14-minute battle and setting off a celebration on the Farm Fresh bench.

“I knew I had to contribute for us to win, so I just gave my best, played with purpose, and made sure I had an impact,” Galang said in Filipino.

Galang earned Best Player of the Game honors after finishing with 14 points and eight excellent digs.

“I think I was able to perform well, and most importantly, we got the win,” she added.

Tubu led all scorers with 24 points.

Molina contributed 16 points and 17 excellent receptions, while Paat-Rezanova finished with nine points.

Setter Louie Romero directed the Farm Fresh offense with 23 excellent sets.

Shay Adorador paced Capital1 with 14 points, followed by Jimenez with 13 and Cherry Nunag with 11.

Cepada added nine points for the Solar Spikers.

Farm Fresh finished with 61 attacks, seven more than Capital1.

The Foxies also led in blocks, 11-8, and service aces, 9-5.

Farm Fresh scored 26 points off Capital1 errors while surrendering 24 points through its own miscues, reflecting the uneven momentum of the back-and-forth contest.

Capital1 competed without national team players Bella Belen, Erika Santos and Vanie Gandler.

Belen provided encouragement from the bench, but the Solar Spikers could not match the Foxies’ depth late in the grueling contest.

Farm Fresh completed its three-game tour with a 2-1 record, while Capital1 finished 0-2.

If the opener tested the crowd’s nerves, the second match gave Victorias City the showcase it had anticipated.

Creamline relied on its depth, composure and late-set execution to dispatch Galeries Tower in straight sets.

“We’re just happy to win,” said Alyssa Valdez, who earned Best Player of the Game honors after scoring 10 points. “It’s the motivation and inspiration to keep improving and stay in shape for our fans from different parts of the country.”

The match also marked the official Creamline debut of Japanese recruit Sachi Minowa, the former Jaja Santiago.

Minowa previously appeared for Creamline in a friendly against sister team Choco Mucho in Cagayan de Oro, but the Victorias match was her first official appearance with the Cool Smashers.

“It’s overwhelming to play again here, especially in Bacolod. Sobrang dami ng supporters ng both teams dito sa Victorias Arena,” Minowa said.

The former Chery Tiggo standout received an enthusiastic welcome whenever she entered the match.

The loudest cheers, however, were reserved for Valdez, whose attacks, digs and drop shots energized the crowd throughout the contest.

Galeries Tower also drew strong support.

Aiza Pontillas, Jean Asis and Bacolod native Erika Deloria received cheers for their attacks and defensive plays as the Highrisers challenged the league powerhouse.

The opening set remained close until Creamline created separation in the final points.

The Cool Smashers controlled the second set early, building a 13-5 advantage before completing the nine-point win.

A Galeries Tower service error aided the Creamline surge, while Bea de Leon reinforced the advantage with an ace.

Creamline took an early 4-0 lead in the third, but Galeries Tower recovered and moved ahead by three points.

The Highrisers took their last three-point advantage at 14-11 after a Jema Galanza violation.

Creamline regrouped and tied the set at 17 before the teams reached their final deadlock at 20.

The Cool Smashers scored the next two points, although a service error kept Galeries Tower within striking distance.

De Leon then blocked Jade Gentapa to restore Creamline’s two-point cushion.

Valdez ended a long exchange with a deft drop shot to give Creamline match point after Galeries Tower lost an earlier floor-touch challenge.

Setter Kyle Negrito finished the contest by finding Pangs Panaga for a running attack.

Panaga converted a down-the-line kill to complete the sweep in one hour and 24 minutes.

Galanza finished with seven points.

Minowa, Panaga and Tots Carlos scored six points apiece for Creamline, which played without Michele Gumabao.

Asis led Galeries Tower with eight points, while Deloria contributed six and Alyssa Bertolano had five.

Shola Alvarez and Roselle Baliton added four points apiece.

The Creamline victory was the fifth sweep among the tour’s 12 completed matches.

Creamline closed its preseason run with another strong result after beating Nxled in four sets in Isabela in July.

Galeries Tower finished its three-match campaign with a 1-2 record but showed resilience against the PVL’s winningest franchise.

The On Tour Showdown brought top-level volleyball to Isabela, Batangas City, Ilocos Sur, Cotabato City, Lanao del Norte and Negros Occidental over six weeks.

Farm Fresh will next join Creamline, PLDT and Nxled in the six-team PVL Invitational beginning Aug. 31 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Guest teams from Thailand and Vietnam will complete the Invitational field.

The final records offered one measure of the tour, but the response in Victorias City told the larger story.

From the opening serve of the five-set thriller to the final point of Creamline’s sweep, supporters celebrated every long rally, heavy attack, defensive save and momentum swing.

The teams supplied the action, but the lasting victory belonged to the fans who filled the coliseum and proved that the appetite for elite volleyball extends far beyond the sport’s traditional centers.