RED-HOT ANGELS: Petro Gazz targets 5th straight

RED-HOT ANGELS: Petro Gazz targets 5th straight | Daily Tribune

Games today:

(Philsports Arena)

1:30 p.m. — Galeries vs Cignal

4 p.m. — Capital1 vs Creamline

6:30 p.m. — Petro Gazz vs Chery Tiggo

Petro Gazz brings to the court a winning mentality Tuesday when it collides with Chery Tiggo, hoping to rack up its fifth straight win in the Premier Volleyball League’s All-Filipino Conference at the Philsports Arena.

The Angels are brimming with confidence as they gear up for their 6:30 p.m. showdown against the Crossovers.

Riding high on its impressive performance in the first half of the 32-playdate preliminary schedule, Petro Gazz capped its run with a dominant sweep of the previously unbeaten Cignal HD Spikers in its last outing on 14 December.

With a 5-1 record, Petro Gazz currently leads the 12-team standings with 15 points, but the competition remains fierce and ferocious with seven other teams closely packed in the race. Among them, Chery Tiggo, holding a solid 4-2 slate worth 10 points, is eager to improve its position as the battle for playoff spots heats up.

Cignal aims to storm back from its only defeat as it faces Galeries Tower at 1:30 p.m., while Creamline looks to extend its undefeated streak to five matches in a showdown against Capital1 at 4 p.m.

The Angels are brimming with confidence as they gear up for their 6:30 p.m. showdown against the Crossovers.

Facing a formidable roster led by Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, and MJ Phillips, the Crossovers have boosted their roster with the arrival of former Cool Smasher Risa Sato.

Known for her exceptional skills and talent as a middle blocker, Sato brings a wealth of experience that is expected to bolster the Crossovers’ campaign. Her presence will be instrumental in complementing key players like Cess Robles, Aby Maraño, Pauline Gaston, Shaya Adorador and Ara Galang, providing depth and versatility to their rotation.

Fully aware of the challenge posed by the in-form Angels, the Crossovers maximized their one-month break by focusing on strength and conditioning.

The team resumed practice earlier this month, balancing physical preparation with ball and skills training to refine their game.

“Each player was tasked with maintaining their strength and conditioning routines individually during the break,” said Chery Tiggo coach Norman Miguel. “To ensure accountability, they submitted video updates to our strength and conditioning coaches for monitoring.”

Meanwhile, the Cool Smashers, headed by Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, Alyssa Valdez, Bea de Leon and Michele Gumabao, remain the heavy favorites against the struggling Solar Spikers (1-4), while the HD Spikers, who slipped to second in the standings, are coping with roster challenges following the departures of Ces Molina and Riri Meneses.