Despite the searing pain shooting through her injured right ankle, Lindsey Vander Weide forced herself back onto the court — running on sheer will and one good leg — to help Petro Gazz close the door on Creamline and secure a hard-fought ticket to the semifinals of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference last Monday night.
The Angels’ chances in their knockout quarterfinal against the Cool Smashers took a major hit when Vander Weide went down early in the opening set after landing on teammate Ranya Musa’s foot.
At first, the American import feared there would be no coming back from the injury, as her ankle swelled almost instantly after she was wheeled back to the dugout.
But even as her hopes of returning grew dim, her faith in her teammates never wavered — and she was right to trust them.
“Yeah, for sure. Initially, when it happened, I didn’t think that I was going to be able to come back because it swelled up so much,” Vander Weide said.
“But I knew the team could do it without me. I had complete faith in them.”
With Vander Weide sidelined, veteran winger Myla Pablo stepped up, leading the team to gutsy victories in the first two sets. Creamline, however, regained composure in the third set to prevent a sweep and extend the match.
(C) PVL Images
Down but not defeated, the 28-year-old outside hitter’s competitive spirit remained unshaken. She knew her team would need her to close out the match, and once she felt confident enough to trust her injured ankle, she was ready to step back in and take control.
“Once I started moving it again, and I was able to put my full weight on it and at least jump maybe half my vertical, I knew that I could at least go into play a little bit,” Vander Weide said.
“At that point, I was just kinda letting it ride out, see how we did, and try to build a little momentum to the fourth. I figured I don’t know how long we could use Lindsey, so I don’t wanna go to her too early if she couldn’t go. We kinda just waited and hoped it works out for us,” chimed head coach Gary Van Sickle.
Then came the perfect moment in the fourth set, with Creamline riding a wave of confidence. Vander Weide seized the opportunity, stepping back onto the court to provide support and fire alongside Pablo and Brooke Van Sickle.
She scored six points — all in the fourth set — giving the Angels the firepower they needed to finish off a resilient Cool Smashers side, 25-23, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, and secure a spot in the knockout semifinals.
“But I said, if the girls need me, I’m ready to go in at any point. Obviously, it wasn’t the best because I don’t feel amazing at this moment. But of course, for this team, when they needed me, I was ready to go,” Vander Weide said.
Vander Weide left the Smart Araneta Coliseum in a walking boot, her status for the semifinals on Thursday against Akari still uncertain.
But if her grit and determination against Creamline were any indication, she will be ready to give everything for the Angels when it matters most.
