Angels fly high, near finals return

Petro Gazz pulled off an amazing comeback from seven points down in the fourth set to beat Choco Mucho in a thrilling 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25, decision to remain undefeated in the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference semifinals Tuesday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The Angels dug deep in their bag of tricks to claw back from a 9-16 deficit in the fourth frame, blasting a telling 8-0 run to turn things around for a 2-0 win-loss record in the round-robin semis.

Petro Gazz can secure a seat in the best-of-three finals for the first time in two years on Thursday against Akari.

Filipino-American Brooke Van Sickle finished with a triple-double of 17 points, 12 digs and 22 excellent receptions but Myla Pablo delivered the crucial blows in the closing stretch to seal the win, which took two hours and 34 minutes to wrap up.

Pablo hammered back-to-back hits to shatter a 25-25 deadlock in the extended frame that lasted 46 minutes due to a challenge that took time to be decided and a delay on the Flying Titans’ bench because of a spilled beverage.   

"Actually, it was a lesson learned for me after what happened in the crucial stretch against ZUS (Coffee),” Pablo said after giving up the last three points in Petro Gazz’s straight-set loss to the Thunderbelles in the best-of-three quarterfinals opener.

“It was like, ‘here we go again’. I’m back in front again. So, I told myself, we have to win it in four sets. We talked to each other and I told them to just cover me when I attack. What’s good about our team is the trust we have in each other,” added the National University product, who 13 markers built on eight attacks and five kill blocks to go with nine digs for the Angels.

MJ Phillips scored 14 points while Aiza Maizo-Pontillas came off the bench for eight markers for Petro Gazz.      

Down, 15-21, in the fourth, Petro Gazz unleashed eight straight markers punctuated by Djanel Cheng’s back-to-back aces for a 23-21 advantage.

Sisi Rondina stopped Choco Mucho’s bleeding but Aiza Maizo-Pontillas answered with a kill to put the Angels at match point.

Royse Tubino saved a point with a down the line kill that Petro Gazz challenged.

A long review ensued before video challenge officials retained the Flying Titans’ point due and judged it inconclusive. Video review showed that all three viewing angles where the ball landed were blocked.

Tubino forced a deuce at 24, Pontillas gave Petro Gazz a match point advantage before Cherry Nunag knotted it at 25 for Choco Mucho.

Pablo then made her heroics.

Rondina got 25 markers from 19 kills, five aces and a kill block to go with eight excellent receptions while Isa Molde added 12 points for the still winless in two games Flying Titans.