PVL: Petro Gazz Angels gain share of top spot

Petro Gazz Angels’ Brooke Van Sickle.–PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Petro Gazz kept the PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinal race interesting after creating a three-way tie at the top as the Angels manhandled an already deflated Galeries Tower side on Saturday at Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

Brooke van Sickle kept the Angels afloat with 17 points that she got from 13 attacks, three aces and a block and tie defending champion Creamline and Choco Mucho at 8-2 through a convincing 25-7, 25-21, 25-17 beating of the Highrisers.

“Sumunod lang kami sa game plan ng coaches namin and thankful ako na nakapag-contribute ako sa team,” Angels captain Remy Palma said after contributing eight attack points.

SCHEDULE: PVL All-Filipino Conference 2024

“Mas marami pa kami kailangan na i-ensayo pa, yung mga naging lapses namin and yung mga kailangan pa i-adjust kasi mas papahirap pa yung next games and hindi kami basta pwedeng mag-relax.”

Jonah Sabete was another double-digit finisher for Petro Gazz with 11 points on nine kills, two blocks as well as aces to help her crew extend their winning run to four as the Angels exerted its dominance on the also-ran Highrisers in every aspect of their matchup.

Aside from her offensive showing, Van Sickle’s performance also featured nine excellent digs and four excellent receptions.

READ: PVL: Petro Gazz boosts semis bid with win over Cignal

Palma wasted no time leading the Angels to a lopsided opening frame over Galeries. She scored four consecutive times to help her crew take a dominant 20-4 advantage in that set.

“Kailangan pa rin namin mag-finish strong sa eliminations kasi hindi nga natin alam yung magiging last standing pagkatapos ng eliminations, hindi mo pa rin alam kung sinong aangat, sinong bababa,” Palma said when asked about the bigger picture of the semifinals race.

“Tuloy-tuloy parin kami, ensayo ulit, prepare ulit kami sa next game namin. Mahaba pa rin naman eh, one week ulit yung iintayin namin bago yung next game namin so humahaba yung time for our preparation,” she added as Petro Gazz wraps up its preliminary assignments opposite Nxled next Saturday at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

PLDT and Chery Tiggo, which is battling Akari as of posting time, are locked in at 7-2 card and both still trying to boost their respective semifinal campaigns. The High Speed Hitters will face Cignal, which is on the brink of elimination, in the nightcap.

Playing as an opposite hitter, Myla Pablo paid back the trust given to her by Petro Gazz coach Koji Tsuzurabara with a block on France Ranquillo, who top scored Galeries Tower with six points, before her set clinching off the block kill.

The Highrisers brought the action to the Angels in the following set, but it was not enough despite the Japanese mentor giving his second stringers more playing time.

“Mahirap man nung una kailangan ko i-adopt yung bagong position ko,” said Pablo, who returned to the Angels after her stint with disbanded F2 Logistics. “Thankful din ako kay coach Koji na sobrang trust niya din sakin sa opposite.

“Kung ipasok ka niya sa loob, kailangan gumawa ka sa loob ng court pag kailangan sa puntusan and sa blockings.”

Sabete poured in three straight points in the final frame to give Petro Gazz a comfortable 14-3 margin as the Angels kept frustrating the Highrisers in the stretch.

Pablo, who finished with six points after coming off the bench in the sweep, pierced the defensive line of Galeries Tower with an off the block hit before Dimdim Pacres and Carly Hernandez hiked a 4-0 run to force Tsuzurabara to call a timeout.

Still at the service line, Pacres committed a service error to cap the matchup as the Highrisers dropped their seventh game in 10 outings.