annashay 
- Defending champion Creamline eyes to avoid 0-2 hole and possible elimination against Akari
- Akari looks to defy the odds and close in on a PVL Finals slot
- Petro tries to move closer to the title round against Choco Mucho
- Choco Mucho hopes to stay in finals contention
- If Akari and Petro Gazz both win, they will book outright Finals berths.
Petro Gazz Angels’ Brooke Van Sickle during the PVL All Filipino Conference semifinals against Choco Mucho Flying Titans. –MARLO CUETO/IINQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines —Brooke Van Sickle proved to be just as effective on floor defense as she is on offense as she moved closer to her first-ever Finals stint in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference with Petro Gazz.
Van Sickle drilled 17 points and tallied 22 excellent receptions and 12 digs as Petro Gazz survived Choco Mucho, 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25, to stay unbeaten in the semifinal round with a 2-0 record on Tuesday night at Philsports Arena.
“I just try to take every touch seriously. How I think about defense is that the better I dig the ball, the more opportunities my teammates get,” she said.
Myla Pablo (right) and the Petro Gazz Angels during the PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals against Choco Mucho Flying Titans. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines —Myla Pablo slumped to the floor in relief after drilling the game-winning off-speed hit, propelling Petro Gazz past a gritty Choco Mucho and moving them one win closer to the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals.
Pablo admitted she was starting to feel a pinch in her previously injured calf, but she knew she had to push past her troubles to help the Angels survive with a 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25, win.
“I had to lay down—I was feeling something in my calf again. Throughout the four sets, my mind wasn’t fully in the game because of the trauma from my past injury with F2 Logistics. I pushed through that calf injury before, and it ended up getting sprained,” said Pablo in Filipino after scoring 13 points.
Myla Pablo and the Petro Gazz Angels during the PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals against Choco Mucho Flying Titans. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Petro Gazz capitalized on Choco Mucho’s devastating meltdown, 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25, securing the inside track to the PVL All Filipino Conference Finals on Tuesday night at the Philsports Arena.
Myla Pablo dropped the killer spike at matchpoint that shredded the hopes of the Flying Titans of stretching the encounter as the Angels remained unbeaten in the four-team, single-round semifinals.
“It was a lesson that I learned in a crucial game against ZUS (in the quarterfinals). I was again in front and we needed to secure the fourth set whatever it takes,’’ said Pablo in Filipino after tallying 13 points, including her team’s last two attacks, plus five blocks.
Myla Pablo after scoring five blocks against Choco Mucho. #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/75BvZnsR1D
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) April 1, 2025
Brooke Van Sickle on moving closer to the #PVL2025 finals. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/ZlcwzPtR3U
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) April 1, 2025
Myla Pablo on her game-winner. #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/GtfiungBFY
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) April 1, 2025
Petro Gazz coach Koji Tsuzurabara, Brooke Van Sickle, and Myla Pablo after taking a 2-0 lead in the #PVL2025 semis. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/3xBUWivXu6
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) April 1, 2025
PVL live updates: Petro Gazz Angels (1-0) vs Choco Mucho Flying Titans (0-1) – 6:30 p.m.
Myla Pablo for the win! #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/GRezrXX9cE
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
- PETRO GAZZ IS A WIN AWAY FROM RETURNING TO THE PVL FINALS!
- FINAL: Petro Gazz (2-0) withstands Choco Mucho (0-2), 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 27-25.
- END OF SET 3: Petro Gazz 25, Choco Mucho 17. The Angels take a 2-1 lead, nearing their second win in the semis.
- END OF SET 2: Petro Gazz 25, Choco Mucho 19. The Angels bounce back to tie the game to one-set apiece
- END OF SET 1: Choco Mucho 26, Petro Gazz 24.
IN PHOTOS: Creamline vs Akari (semifinals)
Akari Chargers’ Ivy Lacsina during the PVL All-Filipino semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Ivy Lacsina was limited to an average of eight points as Akari split its first two semifinal games in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Akari couldn’t sustain its five-set win over Choco Mucho last Saturday, anchored by Eli Soyud’s career-high 34 points, as the Chargers got swept by the Creamline Cool Smashers, 18-25, 19-25, 19-25, on Tuesday at Philsports Arena.
Soyud was held to 11, while Lacsina struggled anew with another eight-point outing despite being a top-five scorer until the qualifying round with 178 points in 12 games.
Creamline’s Bernadeth Pons, right, celebrates during a win over Akari in the PVL semifinals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Lacking better ball control in their previous semifinal loss, Bernadeth Pons unleashed an all-around game to save Creamline’s “five-peat” bid in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Licking the wounds of their four-set loss to Petro Gazz that put their backs against the wall, Pons put Creamline back in the thick of things with 17 points, 15 excellent receptions, and 12 digs as they bounced back with a 25-18, 25-19, 25-19 sweep of Akari on Tuesday at Philsports Arena.
“In our last game, coach said we were careless with the balls we should have controlled better. We didn’t handle them properly. We need to be 100 percent on those plays we can control,” said Pons, who hit 16 of her 32 attack attempts. “We’ve focused more on training to improve how we handle those situations, especially to engage the middle more. It makes everything easier when the middle is involved. We followed coach’s advice and the system.”
Bernadeth Pons and Creamline celebrate during a PVL semis win over Akari.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Creamline made short work of Akari, 25-18, 25-19, 25-19, and widened its pathway to another championship in the semifinals of the PVL All Filipino Conference on Tuesday.
In dire need of desperate measures following a recent semifinal setback, the Cool Smashers relied heavily on Bernadeth Pons and Pangs Panaga for a recovery victory that put them back on track in chasing their “five-peat’’ dream.
“Coach (Sherwin Meneses) told us that we still hold 90 percent of our destiny. The outcome will really depend on how badly we want this win,” said Pons in Filipino after posting triple-double figures of 17 points, 15 receptions and 12 digs.
PVL Live updates: Creamline Cool Smashers (0-1) vs Akari Chargers (1-0) – 4:00 p.m.
Coach Sherwin Meneses on Creamline’s must-win rivalry game vs Choco Mucho.
He also assures that Jema Galanza is ok. #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/853Fz1pc9C
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
Pangs Panaga after being hailed as Player of the Game. #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/v2wmXrEBgW
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses, Bernadeth Pons, and Pangs Panaga share their thoughts after bouncing back and entering the win column in the semis. #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/9mHKHwPXqX
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
- CREAMLINE KEEPS ITS ‘FIVE-PEAT’ BID ALIVE!
- FINAL: Creamline (1-1) gets an important semis win, sweeping Akari (1-1), 25-18, 25-19, 25-19. #PVL2025
- END OF SET 2: Creamline 25, Akari 19. The Cool Smashers unleash a 17-6 run to steal the second set and take a two-set advantage.
- Bea De Leon gives Creamline an 18-17 lead vs Akari.
- Akari leads early in the second, 13-8.
- END OF SET 1: Creamline 25, Akari 18.
- Alyssa Valdez with a back row attack to extend Creamline’s lead to 19-13.
- 13-8 start for Creamline after Bernadeth Pons scored over Akari blockers.
Akari eyes a 2-0 record in the semis, while Creamline seeks payback. #PVL2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/6AoCyk2xNi
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
SEMIS ATMOSPHERE
The PVL fans are here at Philsports Arena two hours before the All-Filipino Conference Day 2.
Akari (1-0) battles Creamline (0-1) at 4 pm Petro Gazz (1-0) takes on Choco Mucho (0-1) at 6:30 pm | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/5mskox7mCt
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 1, 2025
CHARGERS BRACE FOR COOL SMASHERS! 🏐
⚔️ : CREAMLINE 🍦 vs. AKARI ⚡
🕓 : First serve is at 4:00 p.m.
🎟️ :Watch the games on:
📺 : One Sports | One Sports+
📲 : Pilipinas Live
🖥️ : https://t.co/ihdl9Qn3VC#PVL2025 | #TheHeartOfVolleyball pic.twitter.com/EfvilFv0uj— Premier Volleyball League (@pvlph) March 31, 2025
Petro Gazz’s Chie Saet during the PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Petro Gazz is chasing the only championship in the PVL that it hasn’t won, and from the looks of it, the Angels are making a run at it using a lot of different pieces that helped them win their last of two import-spiced titles.
One of them is a retirement-bound setter who had openly professed her dream to win the All-Filipino championship.
“I would like to win the All-Filipino before I retire,” Chie Saet, just 40 years young and already a grandma, said as a career rejuvenation has highlighted Petro Gazz’s sterling run in the playoffs. She was very open about that in an earlier television interview, way before she had proven to be key as to why the Angels are two wins away from securing the first title series slot.
Creamline’s Alyssa Valdez during a PVL semifinal game against Petro Gazz.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
It wasn’t how Alyssa Valdez and the Creamline Cool Smashers wanted to start their 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference semifinals campaign.
But they have no choice but to move forward, needing to win back-to-back games to keep their “five-peat” bid alive after the Cool Smashers were stunned by the peaking Petro Gazz Angels, 23-25, 22-25, 25-21, 16-25, on Saturday evening in front of more than 5,900 fans at Ynares Center Antipolo.
Petro Gazz Angels celebrate during a PVl semifinals win over Creamline.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The Petro Gazz Angels proved they weren’t just about reigning MVP Brooke Van Sickle and resurgent star Myla Pablo.
Petro Gazz flaunted its depth to take down defending champion Creamline, 25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 25-16, and win its first semifinal game in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference on Saturday at Ynares Center here.
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