Petro Gazz head coach Koji Tsuzurabara took full responsibility for the Angels’ sluggish debut in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, following their four-set loss to Kaohsiung Taipower on Monday night at the Philsports Arena.
The Angels looked far from the squad that recently reigned over the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference just two weeks ago, as they faltered to a 15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 20-25 defeat at the hands of the Taiwanese side.
American import Gia Day led Petro Gazz with 18 points off 16 attacks, while also tallying eight excellent digs. Reigning back-to-back PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle added 13 points on 11 attacks and also contributed eight digs.
After dropping the first two sets in lopsided fashion, the Angels showed some fight in the third, but ultimately couldn’t sustain their momentum. The loss now puts them in a must-win situation in Pool B against Hong Kong’s Hip Hing.
“Today, everyone on Taipower showed defensive discipline, a positive mindset, and aggressive fighting spirit,” said Tsuzurabara. “But my team — so disappointing. It’s my responsibility.”
(C) PVL Images
The match carried additional emotional weight for Tsuzurabara, who found himself facing several familiar faces from Taipower — players he had once mentored during his time as head coach of the Chinese Taipei national team.
Among them was Taipower’s current head coach, Chang Li Yun, a former player under Tsuzurabara. Despite the competitive stakes, Tsuzurabara expressed excitement over the reunion, eager to witness the growth of his former wards.
“Some of the Taipower players were under me when I coached the national team,” he recalled. “Back then, they were still in high school, training eight or nine hours every day. I looked forward to this match to see how much they’ve improved.”
After the match, Tsuzurabara arranged a group photo with both teams — a testament to the respect and camaraderie he shares with his former players.
For her part, Chang admitted she was nervous about facing her former coach, but kept her focus on leading her team to victory — a win that ultimately secured Taipower the top seed in their group.
“I was part of Coach Koji’s team before — I was his player,” said Chang. “But I chose not to focus on that, so I could communicate with my players in my own way and concentrate on getting the win.”
