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Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL Invitational Conference. – MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — After becoming the first team to reach the semifinal round of the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses is not about to rest on his laurels as Cool Smashers brace for the two visiting foreign squads.

“We will start looking at the foreign teams. We will scout them because they are from other countries, we really need to prepare,” said Meneses in Filipino after Creamline swept PLDT, 25-21, 25-20, 25-21, on Thursday at Philsports Arena.

“But we still have to improve for our next games. We will focus first on our game on Saturday. But the foreign teams will be tough to scout for sure,” he added.

The Cool Smashers, who won the maiden Invitational Conference last year after beating KingWhale of Taipei in the winner-take-all final, will have a tougher road in defending their title when they battle the Japanese squad Kurashiki Ablaze and Vietnam’s Kinh Bac-Bac Ninh in the round-robin semis with the top two teams from Pool B.

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses. – MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Meneses said they have to prepare for every situation when they enter the next round.

“We need to improve on any kind of situation in every game. The basic skills are there but we need to fix our blocking and service. Our attacking efficiency is quite good so we have to double time in improving our basic skills,” said the three-time PVL champion coach with Alyssa Valdez slowly regaining her lethal form from a right knee injury last December, adding more firepower with Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza.

The Creamline coach bared Michele Gumabao will also return on Saturday against Akari after missing the game fresh from a Europe trip.

“She doesn’t have any injury. She just came back yesterday from an important trip. We will be happy to see her play again on Saturday,” Meneses said.

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