A solid Creamline crew and a surging Cignal side set out for a prime matchup Sunday, Nov. 27, for a clear shot at a championship berth even as Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz try to stave off elimination in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Cool Smashers and the HD Spikers fashioned out a pair of straight-set victories over the Petro Gazz Angels and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, respectively, at the start of the round robin semis Thursday, making their 2:30 p.m. face-off so crucial to their respective title drive in the season-ending conference organized by Sports Vision.

Creamline does have the slight edge – manpower, cohesion and championship experience with the Cool Smashers, reaching peak form, all primed for a record grand slam after sweeping the Open Conference and Invitational crowns.

But Cignal is so hungry and resolved to stake its claim not just as a worthy title contender but a deserving champion although the HD Spikers must outdo themselves to put one over their fancied rivals.

Cignal did upend Creamline, 3-1, in the Invitational prelims last July 21 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, but the Cool Smashers got back at them in the semis, 3-0, last Aug. 8 at the MOA Arena on their way to nailing the second of two championships.

But what makes the crowd favorites more daunting heading to today’s key match is that they are coming off their first three-set victory following a virtual struggle in the elims where they were dragged into four-set duels in seven matches, including a 25-18, 22-25, 25-22, 25-12 win over the HD Spikers last Oct. 22.

They lost a five-set battle to the F2 Logistics last Nov. 8, ironically after winning the first two sets.