Petro Gazz Regains Its Fire, Overpowers Capital1 to Complete PVL QF Lineup

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by Raymund Tamayo

Petro Gazz Angels.
Petro Gazz Angels. Photo: PVL Images.

For one full set, Petro Gazz looked strangely out of rhythm. But the moment they let that opening frame slip, the Angels flipped the switch, then never looked back.

Petro Gazz uncorked a commanding response after a shaky start, hammering out a 25-27, 25-13, 25-10, 25-13 victory over Capital1 on Saturday night at the Ynares Center in Montalban. 

The win not only pushed the Angels to a 4-3 record, but also officially locked them into the quarterfinals of the PVL Reinforced Conference, joining fellow 4-3 teams Akari and Cignal.

Capital1, despite the loss, also squeezed into the postseason as the eighth seed at 3-4.

Much like PLDT’s earlier comeback win against Chery Tiggo, the Angels used their first-set stumble as fuel. By Set 2, Petro Gazz returned with the precision and power expected from a two-time Reinforced Conference champion, completely dictating pace, coverage, and tempo.

Petro Gazz's MJ Phillips goes up for a spike against Capital1.
Petro Gazz's MJ Phillips goes up for a spike against Capital1. Photo: PVL Images.

“We just had to settle down, talk more, and really commit to winning each small battle,” said Best Player of the Game MJ Phillips, whose 19-point outing set the tone on both ends.

Lindsey Vander Weide (22 points) and Brooke Van Sickle (21) spearheaded the attack, while Ranya Musa chipped in six valuable markers. Setter Jules Tolentino quietly orchestrated a masterclass with 27 excellent sets, while Petro Gazz’s import anchored the floor defense, Van Sickle tallied 12 digs, and Vander Weide added 11 receptions.

Capital1 got its usual firepower from Bella Belen (18 points) and import Sasha Bytsenko (17), but the supporting cast couldn’t keep pace, with no other Solar Spiker scoring more than four. The imbalance showed across the stat sheet as Petro Gazz outgunned their opponents in almost every department: 63-42 in attacks, a clean 9-6 edge in blocks, and a controlled service game that produced five aces against only one service error.

The turning point came in a ruthless third set where Petro Gazz bolted to a 20-6 lead, riding the hot hands of Vander Weide, Musa, and Aiza Maizo. Every Capital1 attempt to spark a run was quickly snuffed out, either by solid net defense or costly errors that ballooned the Angels’ lead.

Petro Gazz's Jules Tolentino and Capital1's Bella Belen.
Petro Gazz's Jules Tolentino and Capital1's Bella Belen. Photo: PVL Images.

By the fourth set, Petro Gazz was in full stride. Vander Weide torched the floor at will, Phillips hammered quick hits down the middle, and Van Sickle punished out-of-system balls to build an insurmountable 11-4 cushion. A Musa-Sabete block on Belen later widened the gap to double digits, removing all doubt about the outcome.

With their confidence restored and momentum flowing again, Petro Gazz now heads into Thursday’s marquee clash against PLDT fully aware that this renewed fire could not have come at a better time.