BATTLE FOR MOMENTUM: Petro Gazz, PLDT dispute third spot

Games today:

(Philsports Arena)

4 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs PLDT

6:30 p.m. — Chery Tiggo vs Akari

It’s going to be an all-out war as Petro Gazz and PLDT collide in a crucial battle in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference today at the Philsports Arena.

Game time is set at 4 p.m. with both the Angels and the High Speed Hitters tipped to put everything on the line in a bid to shatter their 3-1 deadlock and gain momentum before the league goes on a holiday break.

Cignal remains on top of the team standings with a 4-0 record while Creamline is not far behind with 3-0, putting Petro Gazz and PLDT knotted at third together with Chery Tiggo.

Petro Gazz will march into battle oozing with confidence after posting a convincing straight-set win over struggling Akari, 28-26, 29-27, 25-18, last Thursday.

Brooke Van Sickle and Myla Pablo delivered, furiously hammering the PLDT defense in the first two sets before going full blast in the last set to seal the victory.

Van Sickle fired 15 kills, three blocks and an ace for a 19-point performance while Pablo displayed her vintage form with 13 kills, an ace and a block for 15 points.

“Coming off our rest, we haven’t played in a while so to be able to come out and stay focused in those tight matches was awesome. I’m super proud of everyone,” said Van Sickle, the reigning All-Filipino Conference Most Valuable Player.

Pablo said their solid performance came from their newfound energy inside the court.

“Coach (Koji Tsuzurabara) told us to smile even if we’re down. It’s different when you’re smiling inside the court. You attract all positive energy that leads to great results,” said Pablo, who is enjoying a resurgence of her career.

Aside from Pablo and Van Sickle, also set to deliver for the Angels are veterans Aiza Pontillas, Remy Palma, Jonah Sabete, who are all hungry for redemption after finishing sixth in the Reinforced Conference.

But gaining momentum at the expense of the High Speed Hitters will not be easy.

After opening its campaign with three straight wins, the High Speed Hitters were sent crashing after suffering a four-set loss to Chery Tiggo, 25-12, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22, last week.

Chief attacker Savi Davison is expected to display her deadly form as well as the supporting cast of Erika Santos, Fiola Ceballos and middle blockers Dell Palomata and Majoy Baron.

In the 6:30 p.m. main game, Chery Tiggo hopes to extend its momentum against Akari, which is looking to halt a three-game skid.

Despite their strong start, the Chargers struggled against top-tier teams, suffering consecutive shutout losses.

Organized by Sports Vision and supported by sponsors like Arena Plus, Watsons, and Mikasa, the league will pause for the holidays after this week.

Action will resume on 18 January with exciting matchups, including Farm Fresh against Nxled and ZUS Coffee against Choco Mucho.

Meanwhile, unbeaten Creamline faces ZUS Coffee, while Choco Mucho clashes with Farm Fresh on Thursday.

On Saturday, Galeries Tower will square off against Chery Tiggo, and Cignal puts its perfect 4-0 record on the line against Petro Gazz in what promises to be a thrilling final playdate for the 2024 preliminaries.