It was the steady hands of veteran playmaker Chie Saet that lifted Petro Gazz past ZUS Coffee in the PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals.
For much of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, Chie Saet took a backseat to Djanel Cheng as the setter tasked to orchestrate a fiery Petro Gazz offense led by a one-two punch of the ever-explosive Brooke Van Sickle and resurgent veteran Myla Pablo.
But when the Angels suffered a Game 1 upset against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the conference quarterfinals, Saet’s number was called upon as Petro Gazz attempted to bounce back from an untimely off-night in a high-stakes series.
Showing little to no signs of rust, the former DLSU star tossed up 18 excellent sets in Petro Gazz’s Game 2 win against the Thunderbelles, activating a balanced attack led by Van Sickle’s 17 points, and 11-point outings from Pablo, MJ Phillips, and a returning Jonah Sabete.
Saet followed her stellar Game 2 with a strong 20-set and five-point outing in Game 3, helping the Angels close out ZUS Coffee for good in a 25-21, 25-19, 25-23 sweep at the Philsports Arena on Tuesday.
“Syempre happy ‘cause I’m back inside the court, and I’m given the chance again by Coach Koji, so I think the responsibility na binigay nya sakin, para mag-take up sa inside ng court and ‘yun magbigay nang maayos and mag-lead also sa mga teammates,” Saet said, while acknowledging the possible element of surprise as she took over lead playmaking duties from Cheng.
Along with her stable playmaking, Saet was equally crucial from a leadership standpoint, being one of the veterans who straightened Petro Gazz’s aim after their sluggish Game 1 loss against the Jov Gonzaga-led Thunderbelles.
“Right after nung game dito na nangyari, we talked. And also the next day, we still talked about what happened, then we realized na ‘yun na nga, marami din kaming nakalimutan. ‘Yung sarili namin, kung ano kami, and we started slow in that first game,” Saet said, recalling their 21-25, 23-25, 25-27 loss to the Thunderbelles in Game 1.
“So parang inaantay namin na, ‘Ano, lalaban ba kayo?’ Nagulat kami kasi nilabanan kami eh. So ayun ‘yung parang naging consequence namin, so ‘yung lapses. Then kumbaga, next game, ‘yun nga nag-usap din kami na ‘di na kami papayag maulit, kasi ayaw na namin ng heartbreak ulit.”
Indeed, Petro Gazz responded well to Saet and their veterans’ challenge, asserting themselves fully in Games 2 and 3 to shut down ZUS Coffee’s inspiring Cinderella run.
Now, they’re all set to enter the All-Filipino Conference semifinals, where they will go up against traditional powerhouses Creamline Cool Smashers and Choco Mucho Flying Titans, along with the up-and-coming Akari Chargers starting this March 29.
Petro Gazz is yet to win an All-Filipino title since being established in 2018, which Chie Saet hopes to change especially now that she’s at the twilight of her career.
“Syempre bilang ate, eto na lang kasi ‘yung conference na wala kaming championship, so I want din na makuha ‘yung championship this All-Filipino and for them to remember me kasi sooner I’ll be retiring din, so ayun, gusto ko ibigay din ‘yung best ko every game,” said Saet, a pioneering Petro Gazz Angel herself. “So I keep on reminding everyone na we have to push kasi nandito na kami, ngayon pa ba kami hihinto?”
‘Can’t come out flat’
Petro Gazz is expected to kick off their semifinals journey this March 27 against Creamline at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, before locking horns with Choco Mucho on April 1, and Akari this April 3.
For her part, Van Sickle knows that Petro Gazz can’t afford another lethargic start in the conference semifinals, especially when facing a group of proven contenders with veteran-laden rosters.
“I think we all learned it from the first game [against ZUS Coffee]. They’re going to eat us up if we come out flat like that, and now we’re playing other veteran teams that have won championships like Creamline, and other teams that are just absolutely gunning for it. And these players are just really physical, like Sisi [Rondina],” Van Sickle said following her 24-point outing against the Thunderbelles on Tuesday.
“So now, we have to have that mindset that these teams, they have more firepower I say, or they have a little bit more, but yeah, we can’t come out flat. You see how the PVL has been, it’s been all sorts of ups and downs, and you don’t know who wants it more.”
Van Sickle also gave her stamp of approval to ZUS Coffee, being a fan of their inspiring rise from a lottery team to being legitimate contenders. In particular, the reigning conference MVP pointed out ZUS Coffee’s formidable defense, which made it difficult for the Angels to penetrate their side of the Taraflex.
“I keep saying this, but I think they’re really one of the better teams on defense. Like they’re just so scrappy, and they have this attitude when it comes to defense. That’s awesome, and I hope that inspires the rest of the PVL that ‘Hey, we have to match their defense’. It pushes us in ways that are really awesome, and as a hitter, it’s hard!” Van Sickle said, with the Thunderbelles recording an impressive 11 blocks in their Game 1 upset.
Already one of the PVL’s most gifted hitters, Van Sickle admits getting inspired to further refine her own defense after facing a young, but determined Thunderbelles side.
“It’s hard playing them! Cause they’re just going to take the ball, and you just don’t know if they’re just going to ping it back over, and it’s really cool and hard as a hitter. When you’re getting a kill, they’re always touching it just two times to three times always! And it’s stressful, but it’s really cool to see. So yeah, very inspiring, and I will do better defensively,” the Fil-Hawaiian spiker concluded.
Images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.