Petro Gazz inched closer to a semifinals berth after escaping Chery Tiggo in five sets, 25-14, 24-26, 25-13, 21-25, 15-9 in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference, Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
American import Lindsey Vander Weide dropped a game-high 29 points on 25 attacks, two aces, and two kill blocks laced with 12 excellent digs while MJ Phillips fired 23 points which includes 15 attacks, seven kill blocks, and an ace for the 4-2 Angels, who are now a win away from securing a Final Four berth.
“We need every game e. So magandang lesson na ‘to coming from our loss last game so like what I told them before the fifth set, yung composure that we needed nabawi lalo from last game. Doon na nalabas sa fifth set,” said Petro Gazz head coach Rald Ricafort.
“Tingin ko lumabas naman, may crucial blocks, crucial spikes, yung composure na hinahanap namin dapat nung fifth set nung Cignal nag-turn out naman itong game na ‘to,” he added.
With the scores locked at 6-all, Phillips turned things around in the fifth set and scored four points in a 5-1 run that put the Angels ahead by three points, 11-7.
Mylene Paat scored two crucial points for the Crossovers but committed a crucial costly net violation in between. From there, Vander Weide took over for Petro Gazz, hammering one in before rejecting Paat to reach match point.
Aiza Maizo-Pontillas ended the game with another block, this time on EJ Laure.
The Angels opened up the game with a dominant 25-14 win but the Crossovers quickly tied the game after an extended second frame. Petro Gazz once again nabbed a lopsided 25-13 win in set three before Cza Carandang, Jasmine Nabor, and Paat came to the rescue for Chery Tiggo in the fourth set.
Remy Palma added nine points for Petro Gazz while Maizo Pontillas chipped in eight markers. Djanel Cheng had seven markers on top of 18 excellent sets.
On the other hand, the Crossovers, who dropped their second consecutive game to slip at 5-2, were led by Paat with 21 points.
Carandang chipped in 17 points on 13 attacks, two blocks, and two aces while Laure had 11 points and 13 excellent receptions.
Montenegrin import Jelena Cvijovic was held to just eight points and eight receptions.
Petro Gazz will return on Saturday against United Auctioneers Inc-Army at 2:30 PM on the same venue while Chery Tiggo looks to bounce back against PLDT on Thursday, 2:30 PM at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
