Petro Gazz set up a finals date with Creamline after blanking PLDT, 25-17, 25-23, 25-15 in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference semifinals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Thursday.
The Angels, who already faced the Cool Smashers three times prior to this, will try to avenge their loss to the Rebisco-backed squad in the previous edition of the All-Filipino Conference.
Petro Gazz won its first match-up against Creamline in the 2019 Reinforced Conference finals before losing to the Cool Smashers in the 2019 and 2022 Open Conferences.
Petro Gazz will face Creamline in Game One of the All-Filipino Conference finals on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
“First, I cannot say anything, I just challenged them. We always challenge these players and yun nga, inaccept nila yung challenge and they acknowledged it na they can do it,” said Petro Gazz head coach Oliver Almadro, who will be making his first finals appearance in the PVL.
“Ang maganda dito, yesterday pa lang I can see fierceness in their eyes, I can see na they really want to bounce back,” he added, as the Angels failed to close out the series in Game Two where they lost in four sets.
MJ Phillips, who was limited to nine markers in the previous match, bounced back and unloaded a game-high 15 points on 11 attacks and four rejections for the Angels while Jonah Sabete hammered down 11 attacks to finish with 13 points in the 1-hour, 53-minute contest.
“Sabi ko nga kanina sa huddle namin, rise mentality, rise up attitude so gusto nilang makabawi agad and I’m happy na itong dalawang ‘to nung Game Two, talagang nag-struggle sila, but I’m really happy na they bounced back,” said Almadro when asked about Phillips and Sabete’s performances.
Grethcel Soltones’ all-around brilliance was once again in full display, finishing with 12 points, 11 excellent receptions, and 11 excellent digs while Remy Palma and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas added nine and seven markers, respectively.
Djanel Cheng tossed 17 excellent sets while Cienne Cruz had 17 digs in the win.
After taking the first two sets, Petro Gazz stepped on the gas in the third frame and led by as much as 11 points, 20-9, after Dzi Gervacio hammered down a floating ball. The High Speed Hitters could not recover from there as Heather Guino-o, Cheng, and Maizo-Pontillas put on the finishing touches.
Leading the way for PLDT are Jovy Prado and Palomata with 10 points apiece while Mika Reyes was held to just seven markers.
PLDT will take on F2 Logistics in the battle for bronze at 4:00 p.m. at the same venue on Sunday.
