Angels forge title tiff with Cool Smashers

PETRO Gazz forged a fourth title showdown with Creamline in the last seven Premier Volleyball League conferences, advancing to the finals with a smashing 25-17, 25-23, 25-15 victory over PLDT in their sudden death for the other championship berth at SM Mall of Asia Arena last night.

A fiery run midway in the opening frame, a courageous escape in a back-and-forth second set and a dominant closeout completed the Angels’ mastery of the High Speed Hitters, who succumbed to their rivals’ sustained firepower, baffling quick attacks and superb blocking.

They also reeled from the sidelining of top hitter Mean Mendrez, who accidentally landed on Petro Gazz’s Aiza Pontillas’ foot in the third set. She did return but only after the Angels have established control and were already gearing up for another shot at PVL glory.

“I just challenged them. We always challenge these players and they accepted it and acknowledged that they can do it,” said Petro Gazz coach Oliver Almadro. “I saw the fierceness in their eyes, I saw that they really wanted to bounce back.”

And bounce back from a Game 2 loss they did as the Angels set the tone for the rout after storming to a 16-11 lead in the first set and then rolling to an eight-point romp. Dragged into a tight, furious second-set skirmish, the two-time Reinforced Conference champions used their veteran smarts to pull through, going 2-0 set up on MJ Phillips’ stinging back-to-back quick plays.

Remy Palma then took over in the third, racking up three straight points to key Petro Gazz’s big 11-5 start before the Angels pulled away at 20-9 on their way to winning their best-ofthree semis matchup.