Petro Gazz Angels slowly breaking in new offensive weapon

Brooke van Sickle (right) shows a lot of promise in becoming the Angels’ top gun come the PVL. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

If Petro Gazz’s first tournament game back after a lull would be any indication, the Angels are poised to do great things in the new Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season.

Now under a new head coach in Koji Tsuzurabara, the Angels are still in the process of putting into heart the Japanese mentor’s game plan, but they showed they’re on their way after getting their first win in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League.

But the biggest difference in Petro Gazz’s game? Brooke van Sickle who did not shy away from carrying the offensive load in her first game with her new team.

“It was really exciting. There were butterflies going on for the game,” Van Sickle said after the Angels’ 25-11, 25-19, 25-19 ripping of Philippine Army at Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.

“My teammates are super supportive and I feel like we’re doing very well. We’re getting chemistry as a team, together, slowly and slowly, and it was a good day for us,” the Filipino-American hitter said.

Van Sickle, who immediately received a warm welcome from her teammates, knows that chemistry will be vital in their preparations for the coming conference that kicks off in a few weeks.

Eyeing big matches

“It’s going really good, I got here like two weeks ago. The first day I was not even here for like 48 hours and I already felt like I was home,” she said after spearheading the Angels with 16 points on 14 attacks, a block and an ace.

“The girls were so welcoming and I cannot be more grateful, I am super happy,” she added.

Van Sickle, who asked former teammate and ex-Petro Gazz import Lindsey vander Weide to contact the Angels, also has her eyes on going against the top teams in the country like Creamline and Choco Mucho.

She is also excited to challenge a PLDT side backstopped by the powerful Savannah Davison. “I have friends that played here in the PVL and they only just said fantastic things and like it’s just a different experience, like that experience they’ve never had in volleyball,” Van Sickle said. “That’s where the dream began.” INQ