The 2022 Creamline Cool Smashers season was the fifth season of the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
Season summary This season marks Creamline's first without Thai head coach Tai Bundit, with Sherwin Meneses succeeding him. The team was assigned to Pool B for the Open Conference, in which they were able to sweep the preliminary round, 3–0 with 8 points, to earn twice-to-beat advantage going into the quarterfinals. Right away the Cool Smashers were put up against the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in a rematch of the 2021 Open Conference championship. Creamline were able to beat Chery Tiggo, 3–1, then sweeping their semifinals series against sister team Choco Mucho Flying Titans, 2–0, to advance to the championship. They would face off against rivals Petro Gazz Angels for the third time in the championship. Creamline would then also sweep Petro Gazz, 2–0, for their fourth PVL title and third in the Open Conference.
Ahead of the Invitational Conference, Creamline signed Lorie Bernardo from UP. On July 28, with a win against Chery Tiggo, Creamline clinched a berth into the semifinals. They went on to top the conference with a 5–1 record and 15 points, only losing to the Cignal HD Spikers on July 21. In the semifinals, the team won their first three matches. Following KingWhale Taipei's win over the PLDT High Speed Hitters, Creamline clinched a spot in the championship. However, they failed to compete a semifinals sweep after losing to KingWhale in the final match, who they would meet again in the championship. Creamline were able to reclaim victory in the championship match, beating KingWhale, 3–0, for their fifth PVL title and becoming the PVL's first Invitational Conference champions.
With titles in the first two conferences of the season, Creamline had the opportunity to clinch the league's first Grand Slam with a championship in the Reinforced Conference. The team signed Turkish player Yeliz Başa as their import for the conference. Once again, Creamline dominated the preliminary round with a 7–1 record and 22 points, only falling to the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers on November 8. The Cool Smashers were bound for the semifinals and finished with a 2–1 record. However, a five-set win in their final match against Chery Tiggo meant that Creamline finished with 5 points, one short of both Cignal and Petro Gazz. The team settled for third in the semifinals, failing to advance to the championship for the first time since 2017 and ending their chance at a Grand Slam. In the third-place match, they would sweep the series against Chery Tiggo, 2–0, to end the season with a Reinforced Conference bronze medal, but during the third set of the second match, captain Alyssa Valdez suffered an injury.
Roster Creamline Cool SmashersNumberPlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool Kyle Angela NegritoSetterFar Eastern University (C)Outside hitterAteneo de Manila University Outside hitterAteneo de Manila University Middle blockerNational University Michele Theresa GumabaoOpposite hitterDe La Salle University Jorella Marie de JesusLiberoAteneo de Manila University Maria Paulina SorianoMiddle blockerAdamson University Kyla Llana AtienzaLiberoFar Eastern University Julia Melissa Morado-De GuzmanSetterAteneo de Manila University Celine Elaiza DomingoMiddle blockerFar Eastern University Middle blockerDe La Salle–College of Saint Benilde Rizza Jane MandapatOpposite hitterNational University Outside hitterFar Eastern University Diana Mae CarlosOpposite hitterUniversity of the Philippines Lorie Lyn BernardoMiddle blockerUniversity of the Philippines Yeliz Başa (I)Outside hitter Jessica Margarett GalanzaOutside hitterAdamson University
Coaching staff Head coach:Sherwin Meneses Assistant coach:Karlo Martin Santos
Team staff Team manager:Ma. Carlota CeldaAlan Acero Trainers:Mark Christopher CaronAriel Morado Jr.
Medical staff Physical therapist:Anna Liza Demegillo
Open Conference
Preliminary round
Pool B standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || March 17, 2022 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–56 | Paco Arena 41 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || March 21, 2022 || BaliPure || 3–0 || 75–49 | Paco Arena 32 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 3 || March 23, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–2 || 111–102 | Paco Arena 42 || 3–0 || 8 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || March 28, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 98–76 | Filoil Flying V Centre 2,223 || 1–0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || April 1, 2022 || Choco Mucho || 3–1 || 92–73 | Filoil Flying V Centre 5,368 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || April 3, 2022 || Choco Mucho || 3–1 || 98–77 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 16,877 || 2–0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || April 6, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–1 || 105–83 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 14,573 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || April 8, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–1 || 90–82 | Ynares Center 8,231 || 2–0 | P2
Invitational Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || July 12, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–1 || 98–89 | Filoil Flying V Centre 1,631 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || July 16, 2022 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–59 | Filoil Flying V Centre 2,751 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || July 21, 2022 || Cignal || 1–3 || 92–90 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 5,436 || 3–0 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || July 23, 2022 || Choco Mucho || 3–0 || 75–58 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 15,237 || 3–1 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || July 28, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 99–85 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 798 || 4–1 || 12 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 6 || July 30, 2022 || Army || 3–0 || 75–58 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 2,900 || 5–1 || 15 | P2
Final round
Semifinals standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || August 4, 2022 || Army || 3–1 || 98–82 | Ynares Center 1,241 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || August 6, 2022 || PLDT || 3–2 || 112–104 | Ynares Center 1,955 || 2–0 || 5 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || August 8, 2022 || Cignal || 3–0 || 75–54 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 1,273 || 3–0 || 8 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fee | 4 || August 12, 2022 || KingWhale || 2–3 || 93–106 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 1,734 || 3–1 || 9 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | August 14, 2022 || KingWhale || 3–0 || 75–48 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 13,589 | P2
Reinforced Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || October 13, 2022 || PLDT || 3–1 || 101–90 | PhilSports Arena 5,200 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || October 18, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–1 || 93–87 | PhilSports Arena 1,246 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || October 22, 2022 || Cignal || 3–1 || 97–77 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 5,521 || 3–0 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || October 27, 2022 || Akari || 3–1 || 98–77 | PhilSports Arena 1,000 || 4–0 || 12 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || November 5, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 102–90 | Santa Rosa Sports Complex 5,936 || 5–0 || 15 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fee | 6 || November 8, 2022 || F2 Logistics || 2–3 || 100–110 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 8,595 || 5–1 || 16 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || November 12, 2022 || Army || 3–1 || 98–78 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 2,370 || 6–1 || 19 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || November 17, 2022 || Choco Mucho || 3–1 || 93–91 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 19,157 || 7–1 || 22 | P2
Final round
Semifinals standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || November 24, 2022 || Petro Gazz || 3–0 || 75–64 | PhilSports Arena 2,813 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || November 27, 2022 || Cignal || 1–3 || 92–101 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 6,583 || 1–1 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 3 || November 29, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–2 || 99–86 | PhilSports Arena 3,195 || 2–1 || 5 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || December 1, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 97–71 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 2,965 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || December 6, 2022 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 98–80 | PhilSports Arena 3,913 || 2–0 | P2
Transactions
Additions Player Date signed Previous team UP Lady Fighting Maroons
References