DASMARIÑAS — Petro Gazz proved too good for Galeries Tower, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference on Thursday at the City of Dasmariñas Arena.
The Angels bucked a slow start in a back-and-forth first canto, building leads that ballooned to as much as 11 on the way to wrapping up the win in one hour and 19 minutes and giving new coach Gary Van Sickle a winning debut.
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"It's been positive, not just because we won, but everyone's friendly, the environment is electric, so that makes it fun to coach. The competition, like I said, is pretty good. Coaches on the other side are tough, so we're making adjustments as we go," the Van Sickle patriarch said.
"I like what we saw, the little things that we can fix, we can do that in practice, but overall it was a good win. Any win is a good win in the PVL."
Djanel Cheng orchestrated the debut win with 14 excellent sets and four points.
With all imports now cleared for action after a brief impasse on clearances with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), a familiar face in 2022 PVL champion Lindsey Vander Weide rose to the occasion with 15 points and eight receptions to begin her second stint with the two-time Reinforced Conference champions.
Two-time MVP Brooke Van Sickle also had a rousing PVL comeback after her Alas Pilipinas duties, posting 14 points and six digs.
Another returning national team ace in MJ Phillips tallied four blocks to cap her 12-point outing.
Not-so high rise for Galeries
Kenyan coach Godfrey Okumu fell flat in his first tour of head coaching duty, one where none of his players hit double figures in a sluggish opening performance.
Three years since her PVL debut with Chery Tiggo, Montenegrin outside spiker Jelena Cvijovic was held to just nine points. Mainstay middle blocker Dodee Batindaan also had nine in the loss.
Alas playmaker Julia Coronel also returned from national team duties with 13 excellent sets.
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