PETROGAZZ moved a win away from securing the last ticket to the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Open Conference semifinals with a four-set win over Ateneo-Motolite, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23, Saturday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
With the Lady Eagles holding a 16-10 lead in the fourth set, Rossan Fajardo willed the Angels back with her on-point service as her aces allowed her side to catch up and even take a 17-16 lead.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle from that point that even saw the Lady Eagles take a 23-21 lead after a Maddie Madayag kill.
But it was Ateneo-Motolite's last hurrah as Cai Baloaloa took charge in the endgame for PetroGazz, delivering its last two points including the spike from the right side that rolled through the net and to the opposing floor.
Baloaloa topped PetroGazz with 13 points, built on 10 spikes and two blocks, as she had five of those in her team's amazing comeback run.
Fajardo, meanwhile, had all three of her service aces in that fourth set to account for the team's nine aces.
Paneng Mercado also scored 12 points, Jessey de Leon got nine, all while Chie Saet had 19 excellent sets in the duel.
"Very important ito. Mas relaxed na tayo going to the next few games. This is really a very big win," remarked coach Jerry Yee.
PetroGazz rose to a 7-5 record and will clinch the four-seed with a win over Adamson-Akari on Sunday.
Kat Tolentino showed the way for Ateneo-Motolite with her 15 points as Maddie Madayag got 13.
The Lady Eagles dropped to 10-4 as they now sit idle waiting for their semifinals placing.
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