Twice is nice, but Petro Gazz import Lindsey Vander Weide already has her sights set on winning a third time.
Shortly after clinching her second Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference title with the Angels, Vander Weide openly expressed her intention to return and chase a third crown.
“I mean, who knows?” Vander Weide said after Petro Gazz’s win over ZUS Coffee in the Final. “If I’m coming back, I’d love to be with this team. I definitely would be interested in another Reinforced Conference.
“Why not a 3-peat, you know?”
It was a fitting return for the 28-year-old outside hitter, who first led the Angels to the 2022 Reinforced Conference title and also claimed the Best Foreign Guest Player award in a memorable campaign that marked the team’s first championship in the professional era.
Her comeback, however, was two years in the making. The import-laced tournament was scrapped in 2023, and scheduling conflicts kept her from returning in 2024.
(C) PVL Images
But the wait proved worthwhile. Vander Weide helped Petro Gazz reclaim the crown they had lost, following a 21-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20 victory over ZUS Coffee on Sunday. The win made the Angels the winningest franchise in the import-laced tournament with three titles.
“I mean, it’s awesome. I said in the beginning, let’s run it back, and I wouldn’t say I was half-joking, but it’s like you never know what’s going to happen,” Vander Weide said.
While her comeback proved triumphant, it was not all smooth sailing, as the Angels struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages of the conference.
Despite the rocky start and midseason challenges, Vander Weide emphasized the team’s resilience and determination, highlighting how their grit ultimately carried them through to the championship.
“And just the fact that we had such a weird start and a weird middle of the season, for us to pull it out and beat some of the top teams in the end just shows how much grit this team has,” said the Oregon University alum.
“And we knew we had it all along, it just came out at the end. So it was awesome to deal with this team,” she added.
For Vander Weide, achieving it again with so many of the same teammates made the moment unforgettable, and she’s already looking forward to doing it all over again next season.
“Yeah, of course. Twice is always a little nicer, for sure. Just the fact that I got to do it with Petro Gazz again is awesome, and just so many of the same girls, is awesome,” she said.
“This team has so much grit and it really just shows itself as the best.”
