PVL: Lindsay Vander Weide, MJ Phillips lift Petro Gazz over Chery Tiggo
Petro Gazz’s MJ Phillips tries to score against Chery Tiggo in the PVL Reinforced Conference. PVL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Lindsay Vander Weide and MJ Phillips delivered as Petro Gazz overcame Chery Tiggo in five sets, 25-14, 24-26, 25-13, 21-25, 15-9, to move on the verge of the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference semifinals on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Angels made sure to avoid a meltdown, this time, as they rebounded from a five-set collapse to Cignal last Thursday.
Article continues after this advertisementVander Weide and Phillips carried Petro Gazz into the decider with the Filipino-American middle blocker scoring three straight points for an 11-7 spread.
Mylene Paat kept the Crossovers afloat, trimming the fifth set to a three-point deficit, 12-9, but Vander Weide nailed a kill and a big block on the Chery Tiggo skipper for match point, 14-9 before Aiza Maizo-Pontillas drilled the game-winning attack to end the match in two hours and 14 minutes.
“Our previous loss was a good lesson for us. I told them before the fifth set, we showed the composure that we needed. That’s what we lacked last game. They delivered the crucial blocks and crucial spikes,” said Petro Gazz coach Rald Ricafort. “We overcame our complacency and overeagerness on our movements from the last game.”
Article continues after this advertisementThe spiker-middle blocker tandem combined for nine points in the fifth set.
Vander Weide tallied her second straight 29-point outing, drilling 25 attacks, two blocks, and two aces on top of 12 digs, while Phillips finished with 23 points, including seven of Petro Gazz’s 13 blocks as they moved a win closer to earning the third semis ticket with an improved 4-2 record.
The semis-bound Chery Tiggo suffered its second straight defeat following a four-set loss to Creamline last week as it dropped to 5-2 after giving up 30 errors.
Paat lifted Crossovers with 21 points. Cza Carandang scattered 13 kills, two blocks, and two aces to finish with 17 points. EJ Laure added 11 markers and 13 excellent receptions, as Jelena Cvijovic was limited to just eight.
