Cool Smashers seek outright semis berth

Pacesetting Creamline faces young but tough BaliPure-National U today, seeking a fourth straight win and the first outright berth in the semifinals while Petro Gazz and PayMaya tangle in the other crucial match in the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Reinforced Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

With a 4-1 card, the Cool Smashers need a win to assure themselves of at least a playoff for one of the two automatic spots in the semis but they expect a tough outing against the Water Defenders, one of the five teams vying for the two semis incentives in the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

They clash at 2 p.m. while the Angels and the High Flyers face-off at 4 p.m. in two explosive matches that could either clear or muddle up the semis race.

PayMaya and BaliPure share second with 3-2 slates while Petro Gazz, Pocari SweatAir Force and Tacloban tote identical 3-3 marks heading to the last three playdates of the single round elims where the top two teams will advance to the semis outright.

The rest will slug it out in another single round quarters for the two other seats in the Final Four of the tournament backed by Mikasa and Asics.

Meanwhile, Vice Co (2-1) seeks a share of the lead with idle Cignal TV as it tangles with PLDT (2-2) at 10 a.m.