Creamline Cool Smashers’ Sherwin Meneses throughout an AVC Champions League recreation. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

MANILA, Philippines —Shedding is a part of the educational course of for the Creamline Cool Smashers, whose Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League marketing campaign ended within the quarterfinals.

The ten-time PVL champion bought swept by Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima within the knockout quarterfinals, 15-25, 22-25, 16-25, on Thursday at Philsports Area.

READ: AVC: Creamline’s semifinals hopes dashed with Nakhon sweep

Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses remained pleased with his gamers following a grueling six-month PVL All-Filipino Convention, which ended with their five-peat hopes dashed by Petro Gazz in Sport 3 of the finals simply final week.

“In fact, we’re nonetheless completely happy that we bought to play within the AVC once more, even when issues didn’t go our method. Hopefully, within the subsequent worldwide event, we’ll be capable to put together higher. However no excuses, we simply didn’t make it to the semifinals,” mentioned Meneses in Filipino. “Nonetheless, it was an ideal expertise and it helped us quite a bit as a workforce.”

Creamline Cool Smashers within the AVC Champions League. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web

Creamline captain and nationwide workforce veteran Alyssa Valdez mentioned their latest setbacks, although powerful, will solely make them stronger.

“This event was a tall order for us as a result of we didn’t get a lot time to coach and modify, particularly with the brand new imports. However no excuses,” mentioned Valdez.

READ: AVC: Galanza, Pons cherish PH stint with Creamline regardless of exit

“It was nonetheless a very good expertise. We did our greatest to regulate with what we had, and hopefully we’ll be extra ready and extra polished. We had nothing to lose, however every part to achieve right here. And I hope we feature these classes ahead, even after our loss within the PVL. This was a significant expertise for all of us.”

Valdez, who performed internationally for the primary time in two years, relished the chance to check the highest Asian groups with totally different methods.

“It actually challenged our personal system and pushed us to develop,” Valdez mentioned. “That’s if you actually see what you might want to enhance, not simply as people, however as a workforce. It’s good to step outdoors your consolation zone generally. And if you face a workforce with a whole, well-oiled system, you are taking that significantly.”

The Cool Smashers received their first recreation towards Al Naser Membership of Jordan however misplaced two straight matches to semifinalists Zhetysu, which swept Pool A and eradicated PLDT, and Nakhon Ratchasima within the quarterfinals.

Meneses mentioned Creamline will now take a well-deserved break after an extended season, with no choices but on import decisions for the upcoming Bolstered Convention. Nonetheless, the workforce nonetheless has its sights on reuniting with American spiker Erica Staunton.

“Proper now, selecting an import isn’t even in our vocabulary but. Our most important focus after AVC is actually to provide the gamers some relaxation. The Bolstered Convention remains to be a bit far, so there’s time and extra choices to look into,” the Creamline coach mentioned.

“If we get the import we would like, particularly Erica, and if she’s out there by October, that may be nice. However we’ll see.”