Petro Gazz went on a blistering start in its Game Two encounter against PLDT in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semifinals only to yield the next three sets as the High Speed Hitters forced a decider for the final spot in the finale.
Angels head coach Oliver Almadro said that his team, after a red-hot performance in the opener, ‘waited’ which allowed PLDT to come back and steal the game from right under their nose.
“We had a strong start. We waited. Everybody waited. Na-drag on kami kasi we waited,” said Almadro after the 14-25, 25-23, 25-14, 25-15 Game Two loss at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday night,
After a quick 5-0 start in the first set, Petro Gazz turned it up a notch and went on a 13-5 blast to take an 18-5 advantage capped off by quick from MJ Phillips to bury the High Speed Hitters early in the match.
The lead grew to as big as 14 points, 22-8, before the Angels wrapped it up via a 25-14 win that gave them an early 1-0 lead.
Petro Gazz, however, failed to sustain its momentum and lost a tight second set before dropping two consecutive lopsided sets that helped PLDT force a sudden death on Thursday.
“I’m not saying excited. I just say na they just waited. They thought the game will finish on its own,” added Almadro.
The UAAP champion coach believes that the Angels already learned their lesson and that they will bounce back hard come Game Three.
“I know my players will bounce back. I know they acknowledged and accepted what happened. I just told them to accept and acknowledge what happened and then take the next step again and move forward,” Almadro said.
“We just really have to bounce back and manage first our own expectations. Para at least going to Game 3, we know what to do already, we adjusted in terms of totality of our character,” he added.
Almadro also said that the team will head into Game Three with a positive mindset as they look to go for the kill and enter their second consecutive finals.
“They are sad because syempre di ba after a good start. But they are mature girls. They know what to do. I just told them the positive here is there’s a game. Di kagaya ng championship, battle for third, pag natapos yung isa tapas na,” said the Ateneo head coach.
“The good thing here there’s a game three. I guess the Lord challenged us also. Our character was challenged. Our ego was challenged. Our skills were challenged. Sometimes, when you asked for strength the Lord will give you this feeling para next time you know what to do. We accepted it. We look forward to Game 3 with a positive mindset.”
