Petro Gazz dominates Akari to secure PVL Finals berth

Petro Gazz made the most of its opportunity, dominating Akari, 25-22, 25-20, 25-18, to complete a sweep of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference semifinals at the Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, April 3.

The Angels carried their momentum from stunning victories over Creamline and Choco Mucho into their clash with the Chargers, securing their spot in the best-of-three championship series.

Despite a strong start from Akari, the Chargers could not keep up with the two-time Reinforced Conference champions. Petro Gazz turned up the heat in the last two sets to seal the win in just one hour and 27 minutes.

With a perfect 3-0 record in the semis, Petro Gazz completed an incredible turnaround after a tough quarterfinal opener. The Angels rallied to eliminate the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in back-to-back matches, proving their resilience.

Myla Pablo delivers another standout performance to lead Petro Gazz to victory. (PVL Images]

This marks Petro Gazz’s second trip to the All-Filipino Finals, the first being in 2023, when they fell short against Creamline. This time, the Angels appear more determined than ever to claim the crown.

Pablo Leads the Charge

“I’m really happy. We kind of fell short in the last two conferences,” said Myla Pablo, who delivered 16 points, including four kill blocks. She earned her second consecutive Best Player of the Game honor after a standout performance against Choco Mucho.

“But the job’s not done yet. We’ll get some rest and then shift our focus to the Finals,” she added.

Petro Gazz displayed depth as multiple players stepped up to ease the scoring load on Brooke Van Sickle, Jonah Sabete, MJ Phillips, and Pablo.

“Everyone stepped up, the whole team was locked in. Our defense and blocking worked well. We’re just really happy we pulled off this win,” Pablo said.

Finishing the Job

The Angels entered the third set with confidence after taking the first two in contrasting styles. Their momentum surged when Phillips halted an Akari rally with a quick attack, giving Petro Gazz a 15-13 lead.

Akari libero Justine Jazareno accidentally bumped her head into an ad board while trying to keep the ball in play, further shifting momentum to the Angels.

Veteran Aiza Pontillas was instrumental in Petro Gazz’s final push, scoring three points during a 10-5 run to close out the match. Van Sickle added back-to-back hits, while Nicole Tiamzon sealed the deal with an off-the-block strike.

Van Sickle finished with 15 points and nine excellent digs, while Phillips and Sabete contributed nine and six points, respectively. Pontillas, Joy Dacoron, and Tiamzon also made key contributions.