Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and Myla Pablo kept Petro Gazz alive, while Brooke Van Sickle delivered the decisive blows in the fifth set as they rallied from a 0-2 deficit to stun Chery Tiggo in five sets, 20-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-15, 15-7, in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday at the Philsports Arena.
Pontillas and Pablo were instrumental in the Angels’ crucial runs in the third and fourth sets, but it was Van Sickle who set the tone in the fifth, scoring seven points, including five straight to start the decider, to lead Petro Gazz to its fifth consecutive win.
Van Sickle, the reigning PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP, had played sparingly in the first four sets as a precaution due to a minor procedure on her left knee last December. However, she stepped up in the fourth set, teaming up with middle blocker MJ Phillips to build an 8-3 advantage.
The Crossovers never recovered from there, as Jonah Sabete, Joy Dacoron, Pontillas, and Nicole Tiamzon sealed the win for the Angels after two hours and 20 minutes of action.
(C) PVL Images
“I’m super proud of everyone. I’m pretty sure almost the whole team played, I feel like. And everyone brought great energy. It didn’t matter who was on the court. Yeah, we did start a little rough, but we did come off break. Not that it’s an excuse. But Chery is a good team. I feel like we go with them all the time, five sets,” said the 26-year-old Fil-American spiker.
“So, I’m just really happy and proud of the team. We were able to figure it out, go through the rough patches, and work on it. So, I feel like we got better today as a team. So, I’m really happy,” she added.
Petro Gazz started off flat, dropping the first two sets before Pontillas and Pablo led the charge in the next two. Together, they powered the Angels back from a 16-7 deficit in the third set and came up with a blistering 10-0 run late in the fourth to send the match to a decider.
“On the first and second set, it’s not good communication, my team. But the two in the middle, Joy (Dacoron) and Ranya (Musa), are the starting members of the three sets. So, they could change the atmosphere,” said Angels head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
“They had a good performance. So, after everyone, the players, made a stronger communication, it resulted in a win. I appreciate the players today,” he added.
Pontillas and Pablo led Petro Gazz with 18 points each, while Tiamzon also had a strong performance off the bench with 11 points.
Van Sickle, despite her limited playing time, still finished in double digits with 10 points, alongside 11 excellent digs. Chie Saet contributed 12 excellent sets, while Jellie Tempiatura recorded 20 excellent digs.
Petro Gazz will look to extend its winning streak to six games on February 4 against ZUS Coffee at the same venue.
(C) PVL Images
Meanwhile, Chery Tiggo, who did not field new recruit Risa Sato, slid to 4-3, tying with Choco Mucho for fifth to sixth place after a disappointing loss to Petro Gazz.
Cza Carandang led the Crossovers with 13 points, including 10 attacks and three blocks, while Pauline Gaston and Jasmine Nabor added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Nabor also finished with 14 excellent sets.
Abi Marano contributed nine points, while Cess Robles added eight markers and 12 excellent digs. Jennifer Nierva tallied 21 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions for the Crossovers.
Chery Tiggo will look to bounce back when they face Farm Fresh on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., also at Philsports.
