This wide shot shows the close to 17,000 screaming souls that added color to the heated action on the floor in the Premier Volleyball League semifinals last Sunday. —photo courtesy of PVL MEDIA BUREAU
Fighting relentlessly at the net and defending the floor very well, PetroGazz on Monday night took all that Cignal HD could offer to win the rubber match of their semifinal series and advance to the Premier Volleyball League title series.
Save for losing focus in the third set, the Angels were dialed in as a 25-21, 28-26, 15-25, 25-21 win over the hard-fighting HD Spikers sealed their place in the best-of-three championship series against powerhouse glamor team Creamline starting on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
It was the second straight victory for the Angels after stealing Game 2, allowing the HD Spikers to win just one set of the last six they played since Sunday night as PetroGazz was aided somewhat by the sidelining of Cignal’s Rachel Anne Daquis to cramps late in the second set.
Game 1 of the title series is at 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, several months removed from blowing a 1-0 lead in the title series and losing in the rubber match despite being two sets up, Creamline just can’t wait to start the series.
“It’s so much different from last year when we came up short,” said charismatic skipper Alyssa Valdez. “But [that loss] has served as an extra motivation to our campaign this year. And it showed in our games how much hard work we have put in to get back to the finals—all the players and the coaching staff are so focused.”
It really is different this time, as crowds have been allowed back, with close to 17,000 animated fans voicing their loud support of the action last Sunday.
They will be clashing with a hard-nosed PetroGazz side that chased down every ball possible against Cignal to win their side of the semifinals, 2-1.
Creamline made it to the title series without losing a game as Valdez has more than ample support this time.
The star-studded Cool Smashers downplayed how fit they are for another shot at a title by sweeping their group assignments before bundling out the Chery Tiggo in the quarterfinals and then sweeping sister team Choco Mucho in the semis. INQ