DASMARIÑAS, CAVITE — Petro Gazz gifted new head coach Gary Van Sickle a triumphant debut with a 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 sweep of Galeries Tower to open its 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference campaign on Thursday at the Dasmariñas Arena.
The Angels ensured a straight-set victory with a dominant finishing kick led by American import Lindsey Vander Weide and two-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle.
The dynamic duo fueled a decisive 15-5 run that turned a slim 10-9 lead into a 25-14 clincher, sealing the match in just 87 minutes.
Myla Pablo, Jonah Sabete, and MJ Phillips also played key roles in that closing blitz.
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“It was good, I think we came out a little slow, but overall it was a good team effort,” said Gary, who took over from interim head coach Brian Esquibel, now serving as an assistant.
“I like what we saw — the little things that we can fix, we can do in practice. But overall, it was a good win. Any win is a good win in the PVL,” he added.
With the victory, Petro Gazz took an early lead in Pool B, which also includes the Akari Chargers, Chery Tiggo Crossovers, Creamline Cool Smashers, and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
Brooke led the Angels with 14 points and six digs, while Vander Weide — who steered the team to the 2022 Reinforced title — returned in style with 13 points and eight excellent receptions.
Phillips added 12 points in the win, while playmaker Djanel Cheng tallied 14 excellent sets along with four points of her own.
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Both squads return to action on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Galeries Tower faces ZUS Coffee at 4:00 PM, followed by the anticipated Petro Gazz–Creamline showdown at 6:30 PM.
Montenegrin reinforcement Jelena Cvijovic led the Highrisers with nine points and four excellent receptions.
Meanwhile, seldom-used middle blocker Dodee Batindaan seized her opportunity under new coach Godfrey Okumu, finishing with a career-best nine points.
