At the doorstep of a second All-Filipino Finals appearance, Petro Gazz aims to avoid any missteps as the fired-up Angels take on the dangerous Akari Chargers, not just to sweep the semifinal round but, more importantly, to secure the first slot in the best-of-three championship series.
The Angels have not returned to the Finals of the Premier Volleyball League’s centerpiece tournament since suffering a heartbreaking sudden-death loss to the Creamline Cool Smashers in the 2023 finale at MOA Arena. They then finished sixth in the second AFC that same year before clinching third place last season.
With renewed confidence and a collective mindset to overcome all challenges, the Angels, a two-time Reinforced Conference champions, now find themselves within reach of another shot at the championship in a historic edition of the All-Filipino Conference, where parity among teams has been evident.
All that stands in their way is the Chargers, whom they face at 4 p.m. on Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum. And the Angels expect this match to be just as challenging as their previous battles against the Cool Smashers and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans.
“Akari is a strong team,” said Petro Gazz head coach Koji Tsuzurabara, choosing to keep things simple when asked about expectations and their game plan. He guided the Angels to a stunning fourth-set comeback against the Flying Titans on Tuesday night, mirroring their four-set triumph over the Cool Smashers last weekend to inch closer to the championship.
Facing fellow Japanese tactician Taka Minowa, Tsuzurabara expects a tough test but remains cautiously optimistic, noting that the Angels continue to improve and sharpen their mental game.
Despite sweeping Akari in the preliminaries, Petro Gazz expects nothing less than a grueling battle today. Their previous encounter was anything but easy, with the Angels having to grind out extended-set victories before finally prevailing, 28-26, 29-27, 25-18.
A loss, combined with a potential Creamline victory over Choco Mucho, would result in a three-way tie at the top at 2-1.
Meanwhile, wins by both Akari and Choco Mucho would force a three-way tie for second place at 1-2, with Petro Gazz securing the first Finals slot. In such scenarios, a playoff will be needed to break the deadlock on Saturday back at the Philsports Arena.
With all possibilities still on the table, one thing is clear – the road to the championship remains tough, and the Angels must prove they have what it takes to soar to the top once again.
Meanwhile, Creamline, fresh off a dominant straight-sets win against Akari, is also gunning for the other Finals berth as it battles sister team Choco Mucho in the 6:30 p.m. main event.
But all eyes remain on the Angels, who dominated the double round-robin preliminaries with a stellar 10-game winning streak. However, they stumbled slightly in the quarterfinals, needing to recover from a one-game deficit to repulse the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in a do-or-die best-of-three series.
At the heart of Petro Gazz’s surge is Brooke Van Sickle, whose offensive brilliance is complemented by her defensive prowess. The Fil-American standout showcased her all-around game with a rare triple-double performance – 17 points, 12 excellent digs, and 22 excellent receptions – against Choco Mucho.
“I take every play seriously, especially on defense. The better I dig, the better opportunities my teammates get,” said Van Sickle. “The better I can dig, the calmer it is compared to a chaotic out-of-system play.”
“I always try my hardest to involve everyone, not to put too much pressure on the setters, and to create good scoring opportunities,” she added. “I want to be just as good in offense as I am in the back row.”
Also stepping up in the clutch during Petro Gazz’s intense duel with Choco Mucho were Myla Pablo and backup setter Djanel Cheng, who combined for the final two points that sealed the emotional and mentally exhausting victory.
“From the crucial moments against ZUS Coffee, I learned my lesson. I told myself, ‘Here I am again in this situation, but we need to win this in four sets,’” said Pablo in Filipino. “We talked about it – that if I go for the attack, they have to be ready to cover for me.”
It turned out she didn’t need any cover at all. She powered through with a crucial kill to push the Angels to match point and later sealed the win with a crafty power tip over two Choco Mucho blockers.
Both plays were orchestrated by Cheng, who took over from veteran setter Chie Saet in crunch time and delivered in style.
Pablo attributed their success to their trust in one another, saying, “We click as a team because we have confidence in each other.”
After delivering the match-winning point, Pablo fell to the floor, rolled over, and soaked in the moment of triumph. But beyond celebrating the win, she was grateful for emerging unscathed from the physically demanding contest.
“I just really tried to avoid injuries, especially after landing from hard hits. I really thanked the Lord –that’s why I rolled over after,” said Pablo.
