COOL SMASHERS RECOVER, STOP F WARAYS

Alyssa Valdez

guards Jielo Razon and Charcos, who collaborated in forcing an overtime, chipped in 13 and 12 markers, respectively, for Perpetual Help.

Down 69-64, Razon raced to the hoop for a layup before Charcos tied the score at 69-all with 40.4 seconds remaining in the game.

Charcos could have given the Altas the win in regulation but his shot failed as time expired.

Coronel and Peralta sank a triple each to spark a 12-2 burst for an 81-71 lead with 1:17 left in the extra period FOILED in a match it was expected to win, Creamline came back and unleashed its full might to clip a surging Tacloban side, 25-15, 25-21, 25-15, and get on track of its title drive in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan late Wednesday.

“It’s actually a wake- up call and we hope to learn from it,” said top player Alyssa Valdez, referring to their stumbling start in the season- ending conference of the league that saw them lose steam in the fifth set and drop a 25- 27, 25- 17, 23- 25, 25- 19, 5- 15 setback to the PetroGazz Angels last week.

It was indeed a shock loss for a team which ruled the Reinforced Conference early in the season and headed to the Open tilt brimming with confidence following a training camp in Thailand.

“We were so frustrated as a team since we didn’t expect to lose that way as we’ve been training hard for the past few months,” added Valdez.

But if their emphatic three-set romp over the Fighting Warays would be any indication, the Cool Smashers could be back as the favorites to make it two in row this season.

Valdez, however, was quick to tone down expectations of her team, stressing the need for them to toughen up more to become a real championship-caliber squad.

“We won but we were struggling in the middle of the sets so we really have to work on that pa,” said Valdez, who scored 20 points on 15 kills and five aces.

Creamline actually struggled in the second set, needing to rally from a 13-16 deficit to frustrate the Fighting Warays and complete the straight-set win.

“struggle we make it to a point, we thought and we think last game Valdez said. The Cool Smashers expected another romp when BanKo-Perlas Pocari PetroGazz Tacloban Ateneo Creamline Adamson Iriga-Navy