Creamline Cool Smashers’ Sherwin Meneses throughout an AVC Champions League recreation. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
MANILA, Philippines —Shedding is a part of the educational course of for the Creamline Cool Smashers, whose Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League marketing campaign ended within the quarterfinals.
The ten-time PVL champion bought swept by Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima within the knockout quarterfinals, 15-25, 22-25, 16-25, on Thursday at Philsports Enviornment.
READ: AVC: Creamline’s semifinals hopes dashed with Nakhon sweep
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses remained happy with his gamers following a grueling six-month PVL All-Filipino Convention, which ended with their five-peat hopes dashed by Petro Gazz in Recreation 3 of the finals simply final week.
“After all, we’re nonetheless completely happy that we bought to play within the AVC once more, even when issues didn’t go our manner. Hopefully, within the subsequent worldwide match, we’ll have the ability to put together higher. However no excuses, we simply didn’t make it to the semifinals,” stated Meneses in Filipino. “Nonetheless, it was an important expertise and it helped us lots as a workforce.”
Creamline Cool Smashers within the AVC Champions League. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
Creamline captain and nationwide workforce veteran Alyssa Valdez stated their latest setbacks, although robust, will solely make them stronger.
“This match was a tall order for us as a result of we didn’t get a lot time to coach and modify, particularly with the brand new imports. However no excuses,” stated Valdez.
READ: AVC: Galanza, Pons cherish PH stint with Creamline regardless of exit
“It was nonetheless a superb expertise. We did our greatest to regulate with what we had, and hopefully we’ll be extra ready and extra polished. We had nothing to lose, however every thing to achieve right here. And I hope we feature these classes ahead, even after our loss within the PVL. This was a significant expertise for all of us.”
Valdez, who performed internationally for the primary time in two years, relished the chance to check the highest Asian groups with completely different techniques.
“It actually challenged our personal system and pushed us to develop,” Valdez stated. “That’s if you actually see what you must enhance, not simply as people, however as a workforce. It’s good to step outdoors your consolation zone generally. And if you face a workforce with an entire, well-oiled system, you are taking that severely.”
The Cool Smashers gained their first recreation towards Al Naser Membership of Jordan however misplaced two straight matches to semifinalists Zhetysu, which swept Pool A and eradicated PLDT, and Nakhon Ratchasima within the quarterfinals.
Meneses stated Creamline will now take a well-deserved break after an extended season, with no choices but on import selections for the upcoming Strengthened Convention. Nevertheless, the workforce nonetheless has its sights on reuniting with American spiker Erica Staunton.
“Proper now, selecting an import isn’t even in our vocabulary but. Our major focus after AVC is admittedly to present the gamers some relaxation. The Strengthened Convention continues to be a bit far, so there’s time and extra choices to look into,” the Creamline coach stated.
“If we get the import we would like, particularly Erica, and if she’s accessible by October, that may be nice. However we’ll see.”
