ANTIPOLO – Petro Gazz’s straight-set loss to defending champion Creamline in the preliminaries left a bitter taste in head coach Koji Tsuzurabara’s mouth.
The Angels stumbled early in the conference, suffering a stinging 19-25, 22-25, 16-25 defeat to the Cool Smashers on November 16. But on Saturday night, they returned to the same court, wearing the same jerseys and facing the same formidable opponent. This time, however, they walked away with smiles—along with a well-earned victory.
Determined and prepared, the Angels stunned Creamline with dominant performances in the first two sets to take a quick 2-0 lead. Though they faltered in the third, Petro Gazz regained its rhythm in the fourth, sealing a 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16 win over the five-peat-seeking squad at the Ynares Center here.
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“Before, in our previous match, we lost to Creamline. Same venue, same uniform. So we did everything we needed to do to win this time. Creamline is too strong,” said Tsuzurabara during the post-game press conference.
Unlike their earlier meeting, where they were swept in straight sets, the Angels came ready. They caught the reigning champions off guard with a dominant start, forcing the Cool Smashers to play catch-up for most of the match.
Petro Gazz drew big performances from Brooke Van Sickle and Jonah Sabete. Van Sickle shined with 26 points on 22 attacks, three aces, and a block, while Sabete contributed 19 points. Myla Pablo’s steady play was also crucial, finishing with 11 points, while middle blockers MJ Phillips and Ranya Musa added nine and seven markers, respectively.
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“Today, everyone played well—Jonah (Sabete), Ranya (Musa), and Brooke (Van Sickle). Even the analysts noticed,” Tsuzurabara remarked.
But for the Japanese mentor, the biggest difference-maker in their momentous victory was someone who played only a single set in the two-hour, 10-minute battle.
“I said today, our hero is Rem (Palma),” Tsuzurabara said, referring to team captain Remy Palma, who was subbed out in favor of Musa starting in the second set.
Despite limited court time, Palma played a crucial role in keeping the Angels focused, providing leadership on and off the floor while motivating her teammates to stay composed and execute their game plan effectively.
“She didn’t play in the second set and beyond, but she constantly gathered her teammates and created a positive atmosphere. She controlled the team, and that’s why we won. So yeah, Rem,” Tsuzurabara added.
Palma may have finished with only two points, but her leadership proved invaluable, helping Petro Gazz move past their deflating preliminary-round loss and stay locked in to secure a crucial semifinal victory.
