Creamline puts clamps on Belen

Alta Sportsa month ago · 249 views

Photo: Premier Volleyball League

By Rachel Gonzales

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses turned to the Cool Smashers’ collective effort and championship poise to spoil Bella Belen’s 26-point explosion.

Creamline proved steadier in crunch time to secure a 25-18, 26-24, 25-20 win over Capital1 in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at the FilOil Centre.

Photo: Premier Volleyball League

Meneses, who previously handled Belen in college, made containing the three-time UAAP MVP a priority, but the three-time UAAP MVP out of National University still got her number.

The Cool Smashers delivered when it mattered most for their third straight win in four games.

Photo: Premier Volleyball League

“Controlling Bella was really one of our targets. I’m happy because in her last few rotations, her scoring slowed down,” Meneses said. “Even if she scored in bunches earlier, what mattered was that we were able to stop her in the crucial points.”

Jema Galanza and setter Jia De Guzman, who tallied 22 excellent sets, also praised Belen’s growth since she they played together at Alas Pilipinas.

Photo: Premier Volleyball League

“I think it’s really challenging to face Bella,” Galanza said after scoring 13. “Of course, Creamline works as a team, but she also carries her squad. Still, they can’t win if it’s just her alone. You can really see her fighting spirit.”

“As much as we wanted to limit her scoring, we also expected that she would keep fighting until the end,” De Guzman said. “You can see the experience she gained, especially from her international stint, and how she carries Capital1.”

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