After Creamline’s violent fight with Chery Tiggo, Alyssa Valdez mocked the event on social media, laughing off her first career yellow card.

The Cool Smashers defeated the Crossovers in four sets at the Sta Rosa Laguna to advance to the PVL Reinforced Conference semifinals. Despite receiving his first-ever yellow card, Valdez put up another strong effort in the match at the Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

An unwelcome first for Valdez, a seasoned veteran of domestic and international competition, a yellow card carries no punishment and functions as a kind of final warning.

At 28 all, Jelena Cvijovic, a Chery import, scored a goal from a block hit against Yelo Basa of Creamline, but the lines judge ruled that the ball was out of bounds.

Valdez was given the yellow card by first referee Fernando Velarde despite arguing that the ball was inside during the two hours and sixteen minute match since there was no available challenge mechanism.

The former Ateneo star, who appeared agitated by the circumstance, responded with a kill to tie the match at 29, and Ced Domingo’s back-to-back kills gave the Cool Smashers victory.

The three-time PVL MVP just made light of the event in a tweet after the Cool Smashers won the match between unbeaten teams.

“In this kind of match kasi there are a lot of crucial calls din talaga. I mean, sobrang dikit talaga ipaglalaban mo talaga bawat bola so it’s very important talaga,” Valdez said.

“Heart of steel talaga,” Valdez said as Creamline remained undefeated in five outings.

“The way I see sa mga eyes din talaga nila they really want to finish it and nandoon talaga yung heart to actually fight and finish the game,” she said.

When the Cool Smashers take on F2 Logistics on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, they hope to make it six games in a row.

Creamline vs Cherry Tiggo recap

After dealing tenacious Chery Tiggo her first defeat, Creamline earns a semifinal spot.

Unbeaten Creamline defeated Chery Tiggo for the first time in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference on Saturday in Sta. Fe to advance to the semifinals. Laguna’s Rosa Sports Complex.

In the fiercely contested extended fourth set, which lasted 44 minutes, Ced Domingo’s back-to-back quicks added the closing touches.

The Cool Smashers have reclaimed the lead with a record of 5-0, while the Crossovers are right behind them with a mark of 5-1. Both teams have now completed the playoffs.

With 23 superb sets, Jia De Guzman directed the offensive and helped all of the Cool Smashers’ starters reach double figures in scoring.

With 22 points and 10 digs, Yelo Basa was the leader of the double-double group, followed by Jema Galanza with 14 points and 12 catches, and Alyssa Valdez with 13 points and 9 digs.

With 10 points each, middle blockers Ced Domingo and Pang Panaga round off the scoring.

“Yung fourth set talagang anyone’s game na. We’re lucky napunta yung breaks sa amin. May mga lapses pero syempre kailangan naming makabawi and iti-train namin kung ano yung mga lapses namin,” the Cool Smashers had a chance to win the match when they reached match point first, 24-22, according to head coach Sherwin Meneses.

The highlight of EJ Laure’s overall effort, which included 12 points, 16 receptions, and four digs, was a pair of back-to-back kills that kept the match at 24 all.

Jelena Cvijovic, a Montenegrin import, finished the fourth set with a match-high 18 points and the critical kill that nearly sent the match to a decider, 29-28.

Before Domingo finished off the game with two kills to win the match, Mylene Paat had 14 points, including the drop ball that tied the score at 30 all.