Petro Gazz star Brooke Van Sickle knows that the path to a championship is never easy.
After blazing through the preliminaries with a nine-game winning streak, the Fil-Hawaiian ace is now turning her focus to a different kind of battle—recovery and resilience—as the Angels gear up for the grueling playoff stretch of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
“I think staying healthy and making sure we’re mindful of our bodies, feeling our bodies and everything, is very important. It’s a quick turnaround—there are a lot of games in a short period of time compared to the preliminaries,” shared Van Sickle.
“We’re hitting the playoffs now, and it’s anyone’s game. We have to stay level-headed, keep our confidence, and stick together as a team. It’s going to be stressful—that’s how it always is at the end of the season—but we just have to embrace it, learn from it, and keep pushing to see what we can achieve.”
The Angels wrapped up their prelims campaign in dominant fashion, sweeping Nxled in straight sets, 25-19, 25-14, 25-17, Thursday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Van Sickle led the charge with 17 points, 15 coming from attacks, while MJ Phillips contributed 14 markers, tallying nine attacks, three aces, and two kill blocks.
The victory allowed Petro Gazz to match Creamline’s 10-1 record, but due to an inferior set ratio, the Angels settled for the No. 2 spot. That placement sets them up for a showdown against No. 11-ranked Capital1 in the qualifying round.
With the postseason looming, Van Sickle hopes the Angels can sustain their momentum and maintain their sharpness as they push for a deep playoff run.
(C) PVL Images
“I think our team did a really good job during the preliminaries. We stayed consistent, regardless of who was playing. To come out with only one loss is great for our confidence heading into the playoffs. I’m just proud of the team, and I hope we can carry this energy forward,” said the 26-year-old spiker.
While their long winning streak provides a morale boost, Van Sickle understands that the intensity will rise in the next round, where every match is a battle for survival.
That’s why she’s urging Petro Gazz to remain focused, keep their intensity high, and continue refining their game to be fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
“I think it’s just important to focus every day, especially in practice. That’s where we put in the work. I really like how our training environment has been throughout the conference, and I hope we can keep building and pushing each other,” said Van Sickle.
“Now that it’s the playoffs, it doesn’t matter that we won 10 games—it’s basically a clean slate, and everyone is gunning for the top. We have to embrace the pressure, take every single rep seriously, and continue pushing each other while holding each other accountable.”
With the stakes higher than ever, Petro Gazz will need to heed Van Sickle’s call as they set their sights on championship glory.
