Creamline beats Choco Mucho in five-set exhibition with scoring twist

August 18 ------ CREAMLINE ruled a five-set exhibition unlike any ordinary volleyball match, beating Choco Mucho, 160-130, in the Rebisco Sisterhood Showdown at the Aquilino Pimentel International Convention Center in Cagayan de Oro.

The fan-favorite Rebisco sister teams played five full sets, with Creamline sweeping the opening three, 25-18, 25-20, 25-15, before dropping the fourth, 20-25, and closing out the fifth, 15-9. What counted in the end wasn’t the number of sets the Cool Smashers won, but their total points haul across all five sets, with the exhibition’s winner determined by cumulative points rather than sets won.

The first three sets carried their regular value, while every point scored in the fourth set was doubled and every point in the fifth was tripled. That turned the conventional set scores into a 160-130 Creamline victory after all five sets were weighted accordingly.

Creamline newcomer Jaja Santiago provided an early glimpse of what she can bring to the Cool Smashers despite seeing limited action, taking over in the opening exchanges with powerful attacks and blocks that quickly gave Creamline an early edge. Santiago would also have the final say, scoring the last point of the match just as Choco Mucho began racking up points late in the fifth set. Her final attack sealed the Cool Smashers’ victory in the unusual exhibition before the Flying Titans could mount a late surge in the heavily weighted frame.

Both teams then used the unique exhibition to rotate their lineups across the five sets, giving their players valuable court time while bringing the PVL rivalry to the Mindanao fans in Cagayan de Oro. Several Alas Pilipinas players were also in attendance after helping the Philippines secure a historic silver medal in Leg 2 of the sixth SEA V.Cup, but none saw action.

Creamline’s Jia de Guzman and Jen Nierva, together with Choco Mucho’s Eya Laure and Dawn Catindig, remained on the sidelines after their national team commitments. The match was separate from the ongoing PVL on Tour, instead forming part of the two-day, Rebisco-led Sisterhood Showdown, which featured the exhibition match and a fan day prior as its main activities.

Source: spin.ph