THE championship picture is starting to look a tad bit clearer after an eventful second day of action in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals.
READ PVL SCENARIOS: Here's all 16 ways semis can end
Creamline avoided falling into a 0-2 hole by making short work of Akari, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19, marking the defending champions’ third straight sweep and eighth win in as many matches over the Chargers.
Bernadeth Pons bagged a rare straight-sets triple-double with 17 points, 15 receptions and 12 digs.
Even after a contentious finish, Petro Gazz kept its semis record unblemished at 2-0 by keeping Choco Mucho winless, 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25.
Brooke Van Sickle fueled the Angels’ comeback with a staggering 17-point, 22-reception, 12-dig triple-double.
No team was able to secure an outright finals berth two days into semis play. Hence, it’s all to play for come Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Here are the key takeaways from yet another rousing semis double-header.
1 TITLE RUN IN THE MAKING FOR PETRO GAZZ?
While Creamline’s ‘drive-for-five’ on top of last year’s Grand Slam has been front and center all-conference long, Petro Gazz has made quite a strong impression of its own.
Not even a Game One quarterfinals hiccup to ZUS Coffee could diminish the sheer dominance the Angels have shown in this tournament.
They once had the league’s longest win streak at 10 and has been on a tear in the home stretch of playoffs action by claiming the scalps of last year’s All-Filipino Conference finalists Creamline and Choco Mucho in single-round robin semis play.
With reigning MVP Van Sickle backed by red-hot scorer Myla Pablo — who fired the two game-clinching hits over the Flying Titans to cap her 13-piece — and a back-in-form Jonah Sabete, this might just be the time for Petro Gazz to finally snap a three-year title drought for title number three.
2) BROOKE VAN SICKLE IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE
BVS is the real deal.
The 27-year-old Fil-American winger flexed her international pedigree in Petro Gazz’ second semis win over Choco Mucho with MVP numbers.
It was rather expected for Van Sickle to top the scoresheets for the Angels, and she did so with 17 points built on 16 attacks and one block.
But what the 5-foot-9 ace also had up her sleeves to send Petro Gazz one win away from the PVL Finals? A defensive performance for the ages.
Even as an outside spiker, it was still Van Sickle who led the team in both digs and receptions in the victory against the Flying Titans.
Rounding out her triple-double performance were a game-high 22 receptions and 12 digs.
BVS for MVP again soon?
3) CHOCO MUCHO TITLE HOPES STARTING TO FADE
From the highs of a nine-game unbeaten run entering the semis, it all came crashing back down for Choco Mucho as the last winless team ahead of the final day of single-round robin play on Thursday.
Kicking off semis play with two crushing defeats dampened the Flying Titans’ hopes of returning to the PVL Finals for the third consecutive All-Filipino Conference.
Both losses came by virtue of blowing big endgame advantages, including three fifth-set match points against Akari and a 21-15 fourth-set lead to Petro Gazz.
However, all hope isn’t lost just yet but it will certainly be a long shot as ‘Ube Nation’ no longer has control of its own playoffs fate.
Choco Mucho’s best shot to still have a fighting chance? Beat Creamline and hope that the numbers game sway its way to at least force a playoff for the No. 2 seed.
4) CREAMLINE CAN’T BE COUNTED OUT
Diamonds are made under pressure and Creamline just showed the league how.
As the 10-time champions treaded unfamiliar territory in a virtual do-or-die against Akari, Creamline did what Creamline always does — rise to the occasion.
Not only did the Cool Smashers stay alive in the finals race with a 1-1 card but they also did so in dominant fashion by sweeping its Reinforced Conference title rival last year for the third straight time.
For Creamline to formalize its entry to the title series for the seventh conference in a row, it must first assert its mastery of sister team Choco Mucho and see how the numbers game across the four-team field will play out when all is said and done in single-round robin play.
5) AKARI CAN STILL PULL OFF A SURPRISE
Akari might’ve been shut down by defending champion Creamline in straight sets, but the fight is still very much alive for the reigning Reinforced Conference runner-up.
After pulling off a herculean comeback over Choco Mucho in the semis-opener, it will need another one of the same magnitude to boost its last-gasp finals bid.
The last order of duty for Akari in the semis is a Petro Gazz team coming in hot without a single loss so far after fending off both Creamline and Choco Mucho.
Should the Chargers emerge victorious and rise to 2-1 with the Angels, they will then hope for a Flying Titans win over the Cool Smashers to set up an unlikely championship series with the two-time champions.
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