By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Petro Gazz Angels pulled off a major stunner during the kick-off date of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference round-robin semifinals after taking down the Creamline Cool Smashers, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, on March 29, 2025, at the Ynares Center.
With the win, Petro Gazz just boosted their chances of an early ticket to the PVL finals, gaining a much-needed momentum boost after winning against the no. 1 team in the league. The Angels then joined the PLDT High-Speed Hitters as the only franchises who were able to defeat the Cool Smashers in the entire conference.
After a shaky start in the quarterfinals where they got tested by the young and upcoming ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in three games, the Angels made sure no slow start would hinder their quest for a return trip to the finals as they dominated the Cool Smashers to open their semis run on a high note.
Petro Gazz quickly stole the momentum of the match after racing to a 2-0 set advantage, but Creamline won’t be denied and countered back in the third to stay alive in the game.
Everyone already saw the same storyline in the past games of the Cool Smashers where they could claw their way back despite the deficit, but Petro Gazz was reeling to change the narrative after spoiling Creamline’s chances in the fourth and final set.
The Angels’ most flawless performance arrived in the most perfect time in the match as they contained Creamline’s offense with their much-improved middle blocking at the start of the fourth.
With their defense working wonders, Petro Gazz’s offense just came into place, led by the trio of Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Ranya Musa.
Van Sickle began Petro Gazz’s offensive rally with an off-spin float conversion from the backline, backstopped by Phillips’ kill block that steered them to a commanding 8-3 lead.
Musa then found the slightest of openings in Creamline’s gaps after tricking them with several fake down-the-line spikes that kissed the Cool Smashers’ line at the left side.
Alyssa Valdez and Bernadeth Pons tried to spark Creamline midway through the fourth and helped keep themselves within striking distance, 19-15, but another gigantic snowball from the Angels saw their chances get thin when they reached match point while having a nine-point lead, 24-15.
Van Sickle was unconscious in the win and delivered a game-high 26 point-performance built from 22 successful attacks. The former Most Valuable Player (MVP) also stuffed the stat sheets with six excellent digs and three service aces.
Jonah Sabete, Petro Gazz’s ever-reliable veteran, backstopped Van Sickle with 19 markers derived from 14 successful attacks while Myla Pablo chipped in 11 points.
Petro Gazz will gun for its second consecutive victory on April 1, 2025, against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans while the Cool Smashers look to bounce back and revive their chances of a title defense on the same date against the Akari Chargers.
