Thailand’s EST Cola finally cracked the code against a Creamline side that had cruised through its first three matches, taking the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference duel in four sets to snap the Cool Smashers’ unbeaten run.
EST Cola 3, Creamline 1
EST Cola rallied for a 17-25, 25-21, 25-22, 27-25 win on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, handing Creamline its first loss of the tournament. The win was the Thai guest team’s third straight and pulled it level with Creamline at the top of the standings.
The fourth set was the closest of the night. EST Cola looked home with a 23-19 cushion, but Creamline answered with four straight points, capped by a Jaja Santiago-Minowa service ace, only to hand the point back on her next serve. Bea De Leon saved a match point for the Cool Smashers before EST Cola setter Natnicha Saelao closed it out with a decisive block on Tots Carlos.
Top performers
Papatchaya Phontham erupted for the Thais with 27 points and was named Best Player of the Game. Creamline’s front line kept it close, led by Santiago-Minowa’s 19 points.
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Papatchaya Phontham | EST Cola | 27 |
| Jaja Santiago-Minowa | Creamline | 19 |
| Nannaphat Moonjakham | EST Cola | 16 |
| Jema Galanza | Creamline | 15 |
| Nirarach Srikuta | EST Cola | 12 |
| Alyssa Valdez | Creamline | 11 |
What the result means
Both teams now sit at 3-1, and the final elimination-round matches on Sunday will decide who reaches the championship. EST Cola can book a finals ticket by beating Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City at 4 p.m., the same side that stunned defending champion PLDT earlier in the week. Creamline must beat PLDT at 6:30 p.m. to keep its own championship hopes alive.
The winner’s bracket picture in the PVL’s landmark 10th season is now wide open after the tournament’s biggest upset so far.
