Anastasiya Kudryashova is proud of the effort shown by the Creamline Cool Smashers against Kazakhstan powerhouse Zhetysu VC in the AVC Women's Champions League.
Creamline import Anastasiya Kudryashova is no stranger to facing Kazakhstan powerhouse Zhetysu VC.
Having faced Zhetysu multiple times during her stint with VC Kuanysh, Kudryashova knew the task at hand even before stepping onto the PhilSports Arena on Monday.
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But despite her experience, Creamline struggled to keep pace, absorbing a straight-sets defeat, 16-25, 17-25, 17-25, in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League.
Kudryashova, who finished with five points, admitted her past encounters offered her some edge Zhetysu VC, particularly when reading the Kazakh club’s tendencies. However, it wasn’t enough against a squad known for its sharp system and disciplined execution.
“I think I knew the direction their players prefer, which definitely helped me on the block, although they were trying to avoid me,” Kudryashova said after the match.
“I was mentally prepared, but it’s really hard to play against them. They work like a clock, they train really hard, they’re very talented, and very tall. It wasn’t a surprise that they played like this today and scored.”
Despite the loss, the Russian spiker remained optimistic about her team’s overall performance, emphasizing that the Cool Smashers fought with heart throughout the match.
“I think we showed a really good game. Throughout the game we did not give up, even though it’s hard to keep going,” she added.
Now with the knockout stages drawing closer, Kudryashova hopes the team can carry the same fighting spirit should they enter the quarterfinals.
A Zhetysu win over Jordan Al Naser Club on Tuesday will see the Cool Smashers through to the quarterfinals as the second seed in Pool A.
It's a solid development, considering Creamline is still building chemistry with Kudryashova and fellow import Anastassiya Kolomoyets.
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“I think we are just going to play the same game, try to be better in every aspect, and just keep improving. Every game is getting better and better for us. For the rest of the tournament, we’ll come out stronger and just keep supporting and loving each other.”