Petro Gazz delivered a statement win, dismantling the heavily favored Creamline Cool Smashers in a stunning four-set semifinal victory, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, on Saturday, MArch 29, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Angels joined the Akari Chargers atop the standings, flipping the PVL All-Filipino Conference playoff picture upside down and pushing both powerhouse sister teams, Creamline and Choco Mucho, to the brink of elimination.

A Stunning Semifinal Upset

Projected to be another dominant showing for Creamline, the night instead turned into Petro Gazz’s coming-out party. Swept by the Cool Smashers in the preliminaries and forced into a grueling sudden-death quarterfinal against ZUS Coffee, the Angels entered battle-tested and ready.

They responded with poise and precision, taking control early and outclassing the 10-time champions in nearly every aspect of the game.

After Creamline clawed back in Set 3, Petro Gazz reset and dominated the fourth, storming to an 8-3 lead behind Brooke Van Sickle’s early attacks. Despite a brief Cool Smashers rally, the Angels countered with a 6-2 run, capped by a Jonah Sabete kill block and a Ranya Musa tip, pushing the lead to 16-10.

The final stretch saw MJ Phillips rejecting Tots Carlos at the net, further fueling Petro Gazz’s confidence. With momentum fully on their side, they never let up, sealing the win on a Bea de Leon service error.

“This win was incredibly crucial, as are all games in the semis. But we prepared hard and pushed ourselves to the limit. We drew strength from one another.” – Jonah Sabete, Best Player of the Game (19 points)

Key Players Step Up

Sabete led the way with 19 points, but she had plenty of help:

• Brooke Van Sickle: 17 points, including crucial late-game kills

• MJ Phillips: 12 points, including a pivotal block on Carlos

• Ranya Musa: Key plays in the final set, including a crucial tip

• Myla Pablo & Aiza Pontillas: Provided stability in tight moments

Creamline Falters Under Pressure

Despite Tots Carlos and Bernadeth Pons leading the charge, the Cool Smashers never found their rhythm. While they capitalized on Petro Gazz errors in Set 3, they failed to sustain momentum.

The Angels dominated in blocking (11-4) and attack points (56-48), exposing Creamline’s vulnerabilities.

With the semifinals following a single-round-robin format, two wins could be enough for a finals spot. Petro Gazz and Akari now hold the edge, leaving Creamline and Choco Mucho with no margin for error heading into Tuesday’s matchups.

For now, the Angels celebrate a defining moment – proving they belong among the PVL’s elite and are ready to chase a championship.