PETRO Gazz hit the brakes just before it tied its longest skid in franchise history by outlasting Choco Mucho, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18, to end a shaky Round 1 run in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference on Tuesday at the Philsports Arena.
Veteran playmaker Chie Saet made sure the embattled Angels got their act together just in the nick of time, finishing with 15 excellent sets and seven digs to snap a rare three-game losing streak.
The two-time defending champions’ 2-3 Pool B record won’t be enough for a top three finish in the opening round as they’ll enter Round 2 in Pool C instead with the top three squads from Pool A.
Choco Mucho, meanwhile, slid to 1-4 as the fifth-seed with its lone win over ZUS Coffee splitting two pairs of defeats to start and end the first round of pool play.
“Everyone said to me, Petro Gazz was the defending champion. They were. Last year. But this year, we are not champions. We are challengers,” said Angels head coach Koji Tsuzurabara.
“We have to keep this atmosphere in the next games. We will do our best more. We’re the challengers.”
Reigning MVP Brooke Van Sickle had 18 points and 12 digs, while Cuban import Wilma Salas finished with 17 points and 18 receptions, as the Angels salvaged the fourth-seed for ahead of Round 2 in a week’s time.
Myla Pablo made the most of her extended gameplay with 11 markers to fuel Petro Gazz’ skid-ending victory over the back-to-back league runners-up.
Only Choco Mucho newcomer Dindin Santiago-Manabat had a double-digit scoring output with 13 attacks to cap a dismal first-round campaign as the fifth-seed.
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