Fresh off a PVL All-Filipino runner-up finish, the Creamline Cool Smashers look to start strong in their 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League campaign against Jordan’s Al Naser Club.
The Creamline Cool Smashers will turn the page on their recent PVL All-Filipino heartbreak as they step onto the international stage for the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, beginning their campaign against Jordan’s Al Naser Club at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Sunday, April 20.
Fresh off a runner-up finish in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, the Cool Smashers are wasting no time shifting focus, armed with a reinforced roster built for a serious run at continental glory.
[ALSO READ: Sherwin Meneses wants Creamline to rally from PVL Finals loss: 'Kailangan maka-move on agad’]
Headlining their lineup is the return of American spiker Erica Staunton, who made waves last year in leading Creamline to the historic grand slam.
Joining Staunton are two seasoned international campaigners: 34-year-old Kazakh middle blocker Anastassiya Kolomoyets, a former AVC Champions League winner with Kuanysh VC and Club World Championship veteran, and 25-year-old Russian outside hitter Anastasiya Kudryashova, a proven winner in Kazakhstan and a former NCAA Division I standout with Penn State.
[ALSO READ: Creamline loads up with Kolomoyets, Kudryashova for AVC Women’s Champions League]
But Creamline’s ambitions won’t rest on its imports alone. The core that has built a PVL dynasty — Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza, Bernadeth Pons, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Ella De Jesus, and Lorie Bernardo — is once again front and center, providing a battle-tested backbone for coach Sherwin Meneses' squad.
The team’s setter rotation also gets a boost with veteran Rhea Dimaculangan-Villarete suiting up for Creamline for the first time, joining Kyle Negrito, along with defensive aces Kyla Atienza and Aleiah Torres expected to anchor the floor defense.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Sherwin Meneses sees great potential for Lorie Bernardo after Game 3 performance]
As former Philippine flag bearers in AVC club competitions, the Cool Smashers know the level of intensity that awaits on the international stage — and this time, they’ve built a lineup designed not just to compete, but to contend.
Their first test comes against Jordan’s Al Naser Club as their pool play kicks off at 4:00 p.m.
(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]