PVL: Petro Gazz eliminates PLDT to arrange Finals showdown vs Creamline anew

MANILA, Philippines – Petro Gazz will take on Creamline in their fourth Premier Volleyball League Final after defeating PLDT in the All-Filipino Conference on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Angels showed their killer instinct in Game 3 of the do-or-die semifinals, defeating the High Speed ​​Hitters in straight sets, 25-17, 25-23, 25-15, to set up a best-of-three championship series against the Cool Smashers since Week.

Creamline previously booked a Finals berth after sweeping F2 Logistics.

Petro Gazz, who settled for a runner-up finish in last year’s first conference, will try to exact revenge against defending champions Creamline in Game 1 this weekend at 6:30 p.m. at the same venue in Pasay City.

MJ Phillips stepped up when it was most important for the Angels with 15 points built on 11 attacks and four blocks to rekindle the rivalry with the Cool Smashers, who were swept in two games in the Finals last season.

“I think it’s amazing that we came back. Like coach said from yesterday in practice, we feel like everyone wants to change what happened in Game 2, we’re not going to let that happen again and we’re just leaving it all,” Phillips said. “The only thought is that there is no ball, we are just going for every ball. I am very proud of this team.”

Jonah Sabete also stepped up with 13 points. Grethcel Soltones added 12 points, 11 digs, and an impressive 11 receptions. Setter Djanel Cheng fired 17 good sets on top of four points, as Remy Palma and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas contributed nine and seven marks respectively.

Coach Oliver Almadro will be making his first PVL Final as the Angels eye their first All-Filipino crown in their third attempt.

“I just challenged him. We always challenge the player and he accepts the challenge and he admits that he can do it. Yesterday, I could see the ferocity in his eyes, I saw that he really wanted to bounce back,” said Almadro after recovering from the defeat Game 2. “I told them during the previous huddle, raise the mentality, raise the attitude. I like these two [Jonah and MJ]they struggle [last game]. But I’m glad he’s really making a comeback. It really shows the maturity and character of these girls, these Angels, and they are really Angels for me.

Petro Gazz only faced resistance in the second set as he threw away a 23-19 lead after committing several errors and Dell Palomata and Jovy Prado reduced the deficit to one, 23-22.

But Phillips hit back after a quick attack to lift Petro Gazz to the brink of victory.

Palma and Soltones teamed up in the third set to pull away with a 17-7 lead. Substitute punter Dzi Gervacio joined the party, scoring a floater to score the largest margin, 11 points, 20-9, and never looked back.

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort, who left Petro Gazz after winning the Reinforced Conference last December, was ousted by his former team in the rubber match.

High Speed ​​​​Hitters will be relegated to the battle for bronze against F2 Logistics Cargo Movers in a best-of-three series also on Sunday.

Prado and Palomata led PLDT with 10 points, while wing spikers Mich Morente and Mean Mendrez were limited to six and four respectively. Libero Kath Arado had 32 digs in the loss.

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