The defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers were riding a 19-game winning streak before their faceoff against the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in Santa Rosa, Laguna for the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
The Chery Tiggo Crossovers were on a two-game losing skid heading to Santa Rosa in Laguna.
They lost to 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference runners-up Choco Mucho Flying Titans earlier this month, 3-1.
And then, the Crossovers were at the losing end of an upset against the young Farm Fresh Foxies, 3-0. This was the same Foxies squad which gave defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers an extremely difficult test with a marathon first set, 36-34.
[ALSO READ: Where does that 36-34 set between Farm Fresh and Creamline fall in PVL history?]
Chery Tiggo's performance prompted many to ask, is the championship contending team no more?
But on March 16, the Aby Maraño-led squad bounced back.
And it was only fitting that Eya Laure, a woman making a living out of halting streaks (just ask NU and La Salle), who sealed the straight-set win, 25-18, 26-24, 25-23.
It was the first time for Chery Tiggo to beat Creamline ever since gaining the PVL crown during Game 3 of the 2021 Open Conference Finals.
And take note, this was a time when the Crossovers had the sibling duo of Dindin and Jaja Santiago. Chery now has a new set of sisters in EJ and Eya Laure.
Before this game, Creamline was riding a 19-game winning streak. The Cool Smashers had swept the 2023 PVL Second All-Filipino Conference and last suffered defeat during the 2023 Invitational Conference Finals, when Asaka Tamaru delivered the championship-clinching service ace for Japan's Kurashiki Ablaze.
This is also the first time Creamline has absorbed a straight-set defeat in the PVL's professional era. The Cool Smashers last took a 0-3 beating during the 2019 PVL Reinforced Conference against the Petro Gazz Angels.
All streaks must come to an end. With squads stepping up this season, the pressure is greater for Creamline to defend its crown.