Cool Smashers, Chery Tiggo begin PVL quarters hostilities

Games Tuesday

(PhilSports Arena)

4 p.m. - Creamline vs Chery Tiggo

6:30 p.m. - Petro Gazz vs ZUS

MANILA, Philippines — In its first 16 conferences with the Premier Volleyball League, Creamline hasn’t missed a beat and has always had a podium finish.

And the mighty Cool Smashers are not about to break that impressive streak as they go up against the Chery Tiggo Crossivers Tuesday in their best-of-three PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals at the PhilSports Arena.

The dynastic champions are going all out to gain the early upperhand in their 4 p.m. showdown since every victory counts in a short but sweet series.

Game 2 is set Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo while a decider, if necessary, is either March 25 at PhilSports or March 27 in Antipolo.

The Cool Smashers, of course, are trying to get inside the four-team, round robin-format semis where they hope to make best-of-three finals where they will be assured of a 17th straight podium finish and a crack at a five-peat feat and 11th crown overall.

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses though is focusing on the present.

“We’re taking it a day and a game at a time,” he said.

Also seeking an early 1-0 lead is Petro Gazz, which tangles with a dangerous Zus Coffee at 6:30 p.m.

While the Angels needed just one game to make the quarters cut, the Thunderbelles had to go through the gruelling play-in phase where it swept fancied Cignal and Capital1 in Group B to gatecrash into the round.

Same with Chery Tiggo, which conquered Pool A with wins over Nxled and Farm Fresh.