Petro Gazz clinched a semifinals berth after edging Akari in four sets, 25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-16 in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, Thursday at the Philsports Arena.
Grethcel Soltones spearheaded the Angels’ entry to the playoffs, unloading 20 points on 16 attacks and four aces along with 12 excellent receptions.
That performance helped her team notch their third consecutive win to move to 5-2 in the standings tied with F2 Logistics.
After failing to close out the game in the third, Petro Gazz stepped on the gas in the fourth frame with MJ Phillips scoring a quick. She then rejected Camille Victoria up top to hand her side a nine-point advantage, 19-11.
The Angels never looked back from there, maintaining its nine-point advantage to end the game in four sets.
“That’s our realistic goal, to be in the semifinals first. Sabi nga namin we’ll work hard to reach the realistic goal first and then let’s take it from there and if the Lord will give us the opportunity to be in the finals, we’ll be happy,” said Petro Gazz head coach Oliver Almadro.
“When I arrived here in this team, too much welcoming sila and I’m really happy na what I instill to them, hindi pa nga sobra sobra e. Just reminders, I’m just being parang a kaibigan lang sa kanila, to guide them. I’m happy na nadala nila ako sa semifinals,” he added.
Aiza Maizo-Pontillas added 15 points while Remy Palma added 13 points which included three blocks. Jonah Sabete had an all-around game for the Angels, finishing with a triple-double of 11 points, 18 excellent digs, and 10 excellent receptions.
Petro Gazz converted 17 attacks to dominate the first set and led by as much as 10 points, 24-14, after a Soltones off-the-block attack en route to a 25-15 victory. It then took a 25-19 second set for a 2-0 advantage.
The Chargers bounced back in the third with Eli Soyud and Erika Raagas scoring on consecutive hits to give their side an 18-15 advantage. The Angels could not recover from there; Janine Marciano and Krizh Macaslang hammered the differential hits to extend the game to four sets.
Raagas was the lone bright spot for the 2-5 Akari with a team-high 19 points on 16 attacks, two aces, and an ace. On the other hand, Dindin Santiago-Manabat saw herself limited to just nine markers in the loss.
Petro Gazz will face Chery Tiggo on Tuesday, 4:00 PM at the San Agustin Gymnasium in Iloilo. Meanwhile, Akari looks to end its campaign with a win later that night at 6:30 PM.
