ONE-TWO PUNCH: Petro Gazz torches PLDT, nears quarterfinal

Cuban Wilma Salas and Brooke Van Sickle took Petro Gazz home with clutch hits in the fifth set for a 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14, escape over PLDT to inch closer to securing a quarterfinals seat in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The duo delivered at crunch time, accounting for five of the Angels’ last six points in the tight race to the finish for their fourth win in seven starts.

Salas unleashed 40 points with 36 coming off attacks and added 21 excellent receptions while Van Sickle uncorked 32 points for Petro Gazz.

“Everyone knew how important this game is for us to be able to make it to the next round so we knew we had to fight,” Van Sickle, who punched in 27 spikes, three aces and three kill blocks laced with 10 digs.

Salas shattered a 10-10 deadlock in the deciding frame which ignited a 4-2 run capped by a Van Sickle kill that pushed Petro Gazz at match point.

Kiesha Bedonia saved two match points for PLDT to extend the frame. But Salas was quick to stop the bleeding before Van Sickle called it a day with a thunderous kill.

Aiza Maizo-Pontillas added 12 points for Petro Gazz, which will try to barge into the knockout round on Thursday against Chery Tiggo.

Russian Lena Samoilenko scored 25 points while Erika Santos added 18 but their efforts weren’t enough to save the quarters-bound High Speed Hitters from absorbing their second loss in seven games.

Meanwhile, Chery Tiggo secured a quarters seat after venting its ire on hapless also-ran Zus Coffee, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, in a strong bounce back win.

American Khat Bell fired 28 points built on 24 attacks and four kill blocks to show the way in the Crossovers’ fifth win in seven outings and a much-needed rebound from a stinging five-set loss to Choco Mucho.

Chery Tiggo barely felt the absence of hitter Ara Galang, who rested a minor shoulder injury, as it controlled the 80-minute one-sided affair that sent the Thunderbelles to a 0-7 slate.

Bell, who finished off the Thunderbelles with her back-to-back hits, credited her teammates for their collective effort.

“I’m so proud of the team. I admire their attitude and motivation to bounce back. They really worked hard,” Bell said.

Mylene Paat added 11 points for Chery Tiggo, which outgunned Zus Coffee, 50-36, on kills.

Japanese import Asaka Tamaru was the lone Thunderbelle in double figures with 12 points.