DEFENDING champion Petro Gazz kept its hope alive with a 25-14, 25-21, 25-27, 25-19 win over Cignal, but couldn't deny the latter a trip to the 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference finals on Tuesday at PhilSports Arena.
Tai Bierria led a crucial third-set comeback from 21-24 down that enabled the HD Spikers to avoid a straight-sets loss and seal the franchise's first-ever PVL Finals appearance under the tiebreak system. She finished with 15 points.
Lindsey Vander-Weide unloaded 30 attacks while MJ Phillips towered on defense with seven blocks of her 13 points for the Angels, who can enter the gold medal match should Creamline lose to Chery Tiggo in five sets in the other semifinal.
Trailing 21-24 and down two sets, Bierria displayed nerve of steels and saved four match points on four clutch kills to put Cignal at set point, 25-24.
A Phillips quick from the middle tied things up at 25, but Bierria was unstoppable in the front and gave Cignal the lead once more before Ria Meneses put on the finishing touches to the crucial third-set win, 27-25.
"Mataas 'yung expectations eh. Pinag-uusapan na nga natin, kailangan maka-straight sets. Kung hindi naman namin nakuha, at least napanalo pa rin. So, abangan na lang natin mamaya. 'Di na sa amin nakasalalay," Petro Gazz coach Rald Ricafort said.
"Sayang nga, medyo kinapos, pero at least binigay namin 'yung best namin, and nakinig din kami sa mga ano ng coaches namin, kung ano dapat naming gawin sa loob ng court," said Myla Pablo, who finished with six points and 11 digs.
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