Petro Gazz stands tall as the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference champions after closing out a familiar foe in the Creamline Cool Smashers.
The Angels are back on top after five years.
Petro Gazz on Saturday closed out the Creamline Cool Smashers in a clinical 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19 Game 3 victory to rule the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference before a packed crowd of 10,226 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
This serves as Petro Gazz’s third overall title in franchise history, and is their first championship since ruling the Reinforced Conference in 2022.
First time for everything
Petro Gazz secures their first-ever All-Filipino title after having fallen short against the Cool Smashers in the 2019 and 2022 Open Conference, and the 2023 First All-Filipino Conference.
It was the offensive trio of Brooke Van Sickle, Jonah Sabete and Finals MVP MJ Phillips who led the closeout effort, with Van Sickle finishing with a game-high 21 points, nine excellent digs, and 18 receptions.
Sabete followed with 16 points built on 14 spikes, while MJ Phillips’ 15 markers included four out of the Angels’ impressive 12 rejections.
Head coach Koji Tsuzurabara was at a loss for words during the post-game press conference as Petro Gazz became the first team since Chery Tiggo to beat Creamline in the All-Filipino/Open Conference.
“Today was an exciting game, and I appreciate Creamline, but I also want to praise my players. I scold these players everyday, but they always gave their best performances,” said the Japanese mentor as he held back his tears.
Petro Gazz now gets a perfect ending to their dominant run, one that included an unblemished run in the single round-robin semifinals, and a pair of statement wins against longtime rivals Creamline.
But it wasn’t easy getting those two wins against the Cool Smashers, who exhibited championship poise with their backs against the wall to force Saturday’s rubber match.
But come the decider at Philsports, it was all Petro Gazz as they showed why the 2024-25 All-Filipino title was theirs for the taking.
Defense was key in Petro Gazz’s Game 3 victory, where they outperformed Creamline in blocks (12-4), digs (49-39), and service receptions (12-4). Creamline’s 26 errors were just as crucial for the Angels in the title clincher.
“I’m just really proud of the team. We persevered through a lot, we had a lot of ups and downs and I’m just so proud. Everyone just has that fighting spirit and everyone’s just great people, on and off the court, just selfless people,” Van Sickle said.
A tale of redemption
Still part of Petro Gazz are the likes of Sabete, Phillips, Myla Pablo, Chie Saet and Djanel Cheng to name a few, all veterans who were part of Petro Gazz’s previous All-Filipino heartbreaks against the Cool Smashers between 2019 to 2023.
So in winning their first All-Filipino title, Saturday’s title clincher was also a tale of redemption for Petro Gazz as they locked horns with Creamline for the fifth time in a PVL finals series.
“Sobrang saya namin, syempre first time [to win the All-Filipino Conference] and ilang beses din [kinapos] sa All-Filipino. ‘Yun nga, step-by-step namin ginawa hanggang ‘sumakses’…yun na nga, masaya kasi syempre ‘yun din naman gusto ng management, na bigyan namin sila ng All-Filipino Conference,” Sabete said.
Phillips believes that Petro Gazz has learned from these previous heartbreaks, namely the 2023 First All-Filipino Conference that also went the distance. The Angels had taken Game 1 in that series, only for Creamline to win Games 2 and 3 en route to their then-seventh PVL title.
This year’s series was on track to have a similar trajectory, with Petro Gazz taking Game 1, and Creamline rallying back to level the series by Game 2. But this time around, the Angels would successfully close things out, rebounding strong from a Game 2 loss to secure their breakthrough All-Filipino title.
“I just think that we learned from the past and we came together, even when times were tough, our backs were against the wall. We all made sure to stay together and be patient because our time was going to come and thankfully it did, I’m just so proud of my team,” reflected Phillips, who joined Petro Gazz in 2022.
But the job is far from finished for Petro Gazz, who will now carry the Philippine flag in the 2025 AVC Champions’ League from April 20 to 27 alongside Creamline and the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
Petro Gazz will compete in Pool B of the regional showpiece against Taiwan’s Taipower, and Hong Kong’s Hip Hing Women’s Volleyball Team.
“I’m super stoked! This is my first time in international play, so I’m just excited to see good volleyball, and I’m just excited to see how other countries play the sport. To learn from them, and grow, and just to see the intensity,” said Van Sickle, who will represent the Philippines for the very first time in an international tourney.
Banner images courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.