Creamline’s image of invincibility took a hit last week. But while that first defeat put a dent on how the team looked from the outside, it also made the Cool Smashers recognize what they have to do heading into the knockout round of the PVL All-Filipino Conference.

“I think we all know what our lapses are. I think it’s good to experience [a loss] before the knockout games,” Tots Carlos said, referring to a five-set loss to PLDT that ground Creamline’s 19-game winning streak to a halt.

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The Cool Smashers looked vulnerable at times on Thursday before pulling off a dramatic second set comeback against Galeries Tower on the way to a 25-15, 26-24, 25-19 win at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City that finalized their spot as the top seeds going into the qualifying phase.

“The coaches always say that we learn from the losses,” Carlos added after dropping 18 points on the Highrisers. “But we also must not forget that we still have more important games, so that’s what we will focus on.”

The reigning All-Filipino queens go into the next round as No. 1 after a 10-1 record, and as a reward, the Cool Smashers will have the lightest assignment in the KO stage.

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Creamline’s win also sealed Petro Gazz’s second-place finish even if the Angels beat bottom-dweller Nxled at press time.

Despite taking a 30-28, 25-21, 23-25, 18-25, 16-14 shock handed by the High Speed Hitters, the Cool Smashers still look like the powerhouse squad that just went through a bump on the road.

Galeries Tower pushed Creamline in the second set after taking a 16-9 lead.

But Alyssa Valdez took matters into her own hands to key a 15-5 finishing kick to the set.

“We’ve been through different losses [in other] conferences, but they were actually something that I can say, at the end of day, as real wake-up calls,” Valdez said after contributing 16 points.

Awoken giant

“We were humbled by that loss,” she added. “We would say that we still have so many things to improve on as a team, so it was a good loss for us if that makes sense.”

And coupled with being pushed in a sense by the Highrisers, it’s scary to think what an awoken giant in Creamline could be moving deeper into the playoffs.

“We still have to perfect our system, the minor details that will help us in the endgame and would matter especially in tight games,” Valdez said.

“Happy to be ranked No. 1,” coach Sherwin Meneses said. “But this time, we can’t relax because the next game will be a knockout, so this is the part where we should give 110 percent.”