The 2023 Creamline Cool Smashers season was the sixth season of the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
Season summary No changes were made to the base roster heading into the First All-Filipino Conference, but team captain Alyssa Valdez was unavailable due to injury. Jia de Guzman was then named captain for the conference. The Valdez-less Cool Smashers went on to top the conference with a 7–1 record and 22 points. Their only loss came from the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in a five-set match on February 18. On March 7, the Cool Smashers clinched a spot in the final round with a win against the PLDT High Speed Hitters. F2 Logistics would then become their semifinals opponent, but Creamline were able to get revenge by sweeping the series. In the championship, they would enter a rivalry series against the Petro Gazz Angels. The Angels were able to get ahead in the first match of their fourth championship meeting, but Creamline evened the series after a five-set victory in the second match. They were then able to win the third-match for their sixth PVL title and fourth All-Filipino title. It was also their first title without Valdez.
Ahead of the Invitational Conference, Creamline added Bernadeth Pons, a member of their beach volleyball team, to the indoor squad on June 2. Valdez then returned for the start of the conference against the Chery Tiggo Crossovers. The team then swept Pool A with a 4–0 record and 12 points to advance to the semifinals. Their win streak continued through the first three matches of the semis before they lost to Japan-based Kurashiki Ablaze in the final match. They would end up having to face Kurashiki again for the championship. The match went the full five-set length, but Creamline wasn't able to clinch the title on the final set.
On August 31, de Guzman departed Creamline to join the Denso Airybees of Japan's V.League. On October 13, the team signed collegiate recruits Theo Bea Bonafe and Mafe Galanza ahead of their Second All-Filipino Conference campaign. In the Second All-Filipino Conference, Creamline once again showed their dominant form, winning all eleven games and earning 32 points with their only dropped point coming from their five-set victory over Petro Gazz on November 9. After sweeping the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in the semifinals, the Cool Smashers entered their tenth championship match and sixth consecutive All-Filipino championship, but for the first time, they were matched against sister team Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Creamline were able to sweep their sister team in two matches to win their seventh PVL title and fifth All-Filipino title.
Roster Creamline Cool SmashersNumberPlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool Kyle Angela NegritoSetterFar Eastern University (C) Outside HitterAteneo de Manila University Middle BlockerNational University Middle BlockerCollege of Saint Benilde Michele Theresa GumabaoOpposite HitterDe La Salle University Jorella Marie de JesusLiberoAteneo de Manila University Lorie Lyn BernardoMiddle BlockerUniversity of the Philippines Maria Paulina SorianoMiddle blockerAdamson University Kyla Llana AtienzaLiberoFar Eastern University Theo Bea BonafeSetter University of the Philippines Rizza Jane MandapatOpposite HitterNational University Outside HitterFar Eastern University Diana Mae CarlosOpposite HitterUniversity of the Philippines Outside HitterFar Eastern University Maria Fe GalanzaSetter University of Santo Tomas Jema 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
First All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || February 4, 2023 || Petro Gazz || 3–0 || 75–60 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 9,853 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || February 9, 2023 || Cignal || 3–0 || 75–52 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 3,282 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || February 14, 2023 || Choco Mucho || 3–0 || 75–45 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 9,575 || 3–0 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fee | 4 || February 18, 2023 || F2 Logistics || 2–3 || 105–105 | PhilSports Arena 6,765 || 3–1 || 10 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || February 25, 2023 || Chery Tiggo Crossovers || 3–1 || 92–76 | PhilSports Arena 5,562 || 4–1 || 13 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 6 || February 28, 2023 || Army || 3–0 || 75–47 | PhilSports Arena 650 || 5–1 || 16 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || March 7, 2023 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–58 | PhilSports Arena 7,607 || 6–1 || 19 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || March 14, 2023 || Akari || 3–1 || 102–76 | University of San Agustin 3,514 || 7–1 || 22 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || March 18, 2023 || F2 Logistics || 3–1 || 98–82 | PhilSports Arena 6,471 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || March 21, 2023 || F2 Logistics || 3–0 || 75–61 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 7,741 || 2–0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 1 || March 26, 2023 || Petro Gazz || 1–3 || 95–100 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 11,532 || 0–1 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || March 28, 2023 || Petro Gazz || 3–2 || 106–90 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 9,929 || 1–1 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || March 30, 2023 || Petro Gazz || 3–1 || 95–78 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 12,175 || 2–1 | P2
Invitational Conference
Preliminary round
Pool A standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || June 27, 2023 || Chery Tiggo || 3–0 || 75–61 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 3,685 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || June 29, 2023 || Gerflor || 3–0 || 75–41 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 2,117 || 2–0 || 6 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || July 13, 2023 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–62 | PhilSports Arena 2,136 || 3–0 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || July 15, 2023 || Akari || 3–1 || 100–88 | PhilSports Arena 6,825 || 4–0 || 12 | P2
Final round
Semifinals standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | – || July 13, 2023 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–62 | PhilSports Arena 2,136 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 1 || July 20, 2023 || F2 Logistics || 3–2 || 105–100 | PhilSports Arena 7,018 || 2–0 || 5 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || July 22, 2023 || Cignal || 3–2 || 112–98 | PhilSports Arena 6,430 || 3–0 || 7 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || July 25, 2023 || Bắc Ninh || 3–0 || 75–63 | PhilSports Arena 3,393 || 4–0 || 10 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || July 28, 2023 || Kurashiki || 1–3 || 80–93 | PhilSports Arena 5,121 || 4–1 || 10 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fee | July 30, 2023 || Kurashiki || 2–3 || 105–104 | PhilSports Arena 8,223 | P2
Second All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || October 15, 2023 || Choco Mucho || 3–1 || 99–81 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 14,014 || 1–0 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || October 21, 2023 || Cignal || 3–0 || 75–56 | Batangas City Sports Center 4,607 || 2–0 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || October 26, 2023 || Gerflor || 3–0 || 75–37 | Ynares Center 4,481 || 3–0 || 9 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || October 31, 2023 || Farm Fresh || 3–1 || 96–88 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 1,607 || 4–0 || 12 | P2
|- bgcolor=#efe | 5 || November 9, 2023 || Petro Gazz || 3–2 || 113–106 | PhilSports Arena 2,295 || 5–0 || 14 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 6 || November 14, 2023 || F2 Logistics || 3–0 || 75–56 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 4,228 || 6–0 || 17 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || November 18, 2023 || PLDT || 3–0 || 75–63 | Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. International Convention Center 9,862 || 7–0 || 20 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || November 23, 2023 || Nxled || 3–0 || 75–60 | PhilSports Arena 2,328 || 8–0 || 23 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 9 || November 28, 2023 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 99–84 | PhilSports Arena 3,167 || 9–0 || 26 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 10 || November 30, 2023 || Akari || 3–1 || 101–87 | PhilSports Arena 1,133 || 10–0 || 29 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 11 || December 5, 2023 || Galeries Tower || 3–1 || 94–68 | PhilSports Arena 570 || 11–0 || 32 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || December 7, 2023 || Chery Tiggo || 3–0 || 77–65 | PhilSports Arena 2,366 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || December 9, 2023 || Chery Tiggo || 3–0 || 76–66 | PhilSports Arena 6,183 || 2–0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || December 14, 2023 || Choco Mucho || 3–1 || 95–94 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 8,840 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#efe | 2 || December 16, 2023 || Choco Mucho || 3–2 || 115–110 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 24,459 || 2–0 | P2
Transactions
Additions Player Date signed Previous team Creamline Beach Volleyball UST Golden Tigresses UP Lady Fighting Maroons
Subtractions Player New team Denso Airybees
Notes
References