Lindsey Vander Weide is back — and she’s ready to chase glory once more.
The veteran winger is determined to help Petro Gazz reclaim the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference crown after a thrilling return to the Final Four.
Vander Weide led the Angels past Akari in a grueling five-set semifinal on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, 25-19, 25-17, 15-25, 22-25, 15-13, securing a spot in the championship round.
“It’s been awesome. I said if I ever came back to the Philippines, it would be with Petro Gazz again, and I’m just so happy that I did,” said the 28-year-old American, who helped the team lift the 2022 Reinforced Conference trophy before missing last year’s edition.
“It’s a lot of the same girls as it was back in 2022. And I said on the very first day I got here, I looked at Bang [Pineda] and said, ‘Let’s run it back,’” she added, referring to the returning libero who spent the past two years with Nxled.
(C) PVL Images
Vander Weide’s comeback came after missing Petro Gazz’s 2024 title defense. This year’s campaign, however, began with turbulence, as the team struggled to find its rhythm early in the season.
“After the first part of the season, we were in the bottom half, so that wasn’t a comfortable spot — having to play top teams heading into the playoffs. But I think it made us better. Facing tough opponents early really sharpened us for the postseason,” Vander Weide said.
She added: “We were shaky at the beginning, and everyone was like, ‘Okay, we have time.’ But once we turned it around, I knew we’d make the playoffs.”
Since their 2022 title run, the team has evolved. Gone are key contributors like Djanel Cheng, Aiza Maizo, and Remy Palma. In their place, rookies Jules Tolentino and Ranya Musa, along with former college teammate Brooke Van Sickle, are now making big impacts.
“Yeah, it’s a different lineup than in 2022. But the players who aren’t starting can step in at any moment. We have incredible depth and experience,” Vander Weide said.
“We have such experienced players on the bench — like Myla, who scored 23, 26 points last game — showing we can take anyone off the bench and they can be a game-changer. That’s the difference from 2022. Back then, we had to work with who we had. Now, our depth makes it even better.”
