PETRO GAZZ moved on the cusp of repeating as 2022 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference champion after a 25-21, 27-25, 37-35 victory over Cignal on Thursday at SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Lindsay Vander-Weide unleashed a career-high 34 points built on 31 attacks, two blocks and an ace in a command performance she punctuated with the game-winning crosscourt kill in the marathon third set.
Myla Pablo and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas chipped in 10 points apiece in the win that gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three finals.
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The Angels were two points away from a sweep, 24-23, but the HD Spikers displayed incredible grit as Tai Bierria extended the match with a kill, 24-24, leading to a fierce battle that saw Petro Gazz reach match point nine times and Cignal four times.
But Vander-Weide's three straight kills put the exclamation point to the 45-minute set.
"Oh my gosh, that [third set] was stressful but I just knew whatever ball I got, I had to score," the 25-year-old import said.
After coming off the bench in Cignal's last five games, Bierria finally started and tallied 18 points on 17 attacks - the lone HD Spiker in double digits.
Ces Molina - who kept the HD Spikers alive in the marathon third set with four points - finished with nine markers.
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