MANILA, Philippines – The Petro Gazz Angels survived a five-set comeback scare to take Game 1 of the 2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference finals over the five-peat-seeking Creamline Cool Smashers, 25-17, 25-20, 18-25, 20-25, 15-10, at the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, April 8.
Reigning MVP Brooke Van Sickle rose to a big total of 24 points on 21 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 ace, to help send the Creamline dynasty on the brink of collapse.
Jonah Sabete and MJ Phillips both scored 16 points, but it was Phillips who donned the hero cape late as she scored the first 3 points of the fifth set and finished with 6 total in the final frame alone.
Thanks to Phillips’ fire after Petro Gazz got burned two sets in a row by rallying Creamline, the Angels got their bearings back in the nick of time, doubling up quickly with an 8-4 lead at change-court point and peaking at 10-4 off a Sabete block on Tots Carlos to cap the pivotal 5-0 rally from a 5-4 lead.
Creamline’s last comeback came too little, too late as it whittled the deficit down to 3, 13-10, but Bernadeth Pons’ follow-up attack sailed out for match point, 14-10, before veteran Aiza Maizo-Pontillas added salt to the wound by blocking Pons to seal the deal for good.
Ageless Chie Saet tossed 20 excellent sets in the crucial win, while Myla Pablo supported with 12 points despite having an off-night errors-wise.
Pons paced the failed comeback attempt from down two sets with 16 points, backstopped by 13 and 11 apiece from middle blockers Pangs Panaga and Bea de Leon.
Key returnee and reigning Finals MVP Jema Galanza, meanwhile, gave an earnest effort despite a hand injury and tallied 10 points after being sparingly used in the semifinals.
Petro Gazz, only with two franchise championships to its name but already second on the all-time leaderboards, can get a long-awaited title breakthrough in the All-Filipino Conference on Thursday, April 10, still at the same venue. – Rappler.com