Petro Gazz’s elimination round in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference has been shaky, inconsistent, and full of ups and downs.
But the Angels finally looked to have found the right mix heading into the knockout rounds, taking down the PLDT High Speed Hitters to close their campaign with a 25-21, 27-25, 23-25, 25-21 win and securing the No. 5 seed on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
For star Brooke Van Sickle, much of the team’s recent surge can be credited to the return to form of American import Lindsey Vander Weide.
Vander Weide — who powered the Angels to the 2022 Reinforced title — erupted for a conference-best 35 points against PLDT off 32 spikes, two aces, and a block.
(C) PVL Images
“Lindsey’s awesome. We played together at Oregon for three years, so we definitely have history of playing together. And I feel like, at first, it’s familiar, but it took a little bit to get back in rhythm. And it’s just good to be able to be next to her and be able to have that clear communication,” said Van Sickle, who goes way back with her fellow Duck.
“I think she’s definitely – we had some ups and downs in the beginning, but I definitely think we’re peaking at the right moment and she’s doing fantastic. So, yeah, I’m really excited,” added the two-time MVP.
Head coach Gary Van Sickle also said the Angels’ late-season surge came after a few tweaks that helped them finally solve their rotation puzzle and climb to No. 5.
Petro Gazz now faces defending champion Creamline in a knockout quarterfinal on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Well, I think it was just trying to feel out the best fit. Like, we switched our libs. So that was a change. But just at practice, we’ve been trying to, you know, move the pieces around, and I think we finally found the right fit,” said the new Angels tactician.
“Lindsey’s coming around also. She’s been battling when she – she had, like, a little hamstring thing, which is healed now. And she actually had, like, the flu for, like, a couple weeks. She was battling that. So that helps her being 100 percent.”
