Petro Gazz bounced back from previous heartbreaks in style, clinching a hard-fought 15-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-19, 15-13 decision over Creamline to fortify its bid for a spot in the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference in Sta. Rosa, Laguna late Saturday.
The Angels silenced the predominantly Creamline crowd among the 6,419 spectators at the jampacked Sta. Rosa Sports Complex, surging to commanding 8-3 and 10-5 leads in the decisive fifth set.
Behind the stellar performances of Brooke Van Sickle and Jonah Sabete, coupled with a resolute defense that stifled the Cool Smashers’ attacks, Petro Gazz kept its composure to maintain control and secure the crucial win.
Despite Creamline’s efforts to mount a comeback from a five-point deficit and narrow the gap to 10-11, Remy Palma and Aiza Pontillas emerged as pivotal figures for the Angels, injecting not just hustle and tenacity but also delivering clutch points to help anchor their team’s mind-draining two-hour and 26-minute victory.
Palma’s decisive two-handed dump gave Petro Gazz a two-point cushion at 12-10. Although a service fault briefly interrupted their momentum, Van Sickle responded with back-to-back hits, the final one gained from a block touch challenge against Bea de Leon, propelling the Angels to match point at 14-12.
Alyssa Valdez soared for a kill to keep Creamline’s hopes alive but Pontillas rose to the occasion, delivering a kill that caught the Cool Smashers’ defense off-guard, sealing the victory for Petro Gazz.
Van Sickle described their win as unreal while highlighting the incredible battle against a formidable opponent like Creamline. She also commended her team’s resilience and determination, expressing immense pride in their collective effort.
“It’s surreal,” said Van Sickle of their victory. “Creamline is an amazing team and it was such a hard battle. I can’t believe it but we just held on. It was so huge and I’m extremely proud of my team.”
