Angels unplug Chargers to book PVL finals return

Petro Gazz completed its return to the same conference it dominated twice after it overcame the stubborn Akari Chargers, 25-19, 25-17, 15-25, 22-25, 15-13.

PVL Media Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — The PVL Reinforced Conference Finals will have a familiar face — Petro Gazz.

The Angels completed their return to the same conference they dominated twice after they overcame the stubborn Akari Chargers, 25-19, 25-17, 15-25, 22-25, 15-13, on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It took the gasoline franchise a fifth and deciding set to finally put Akari away and forge its much-awaited finals comeback since making it this far and winning it all three years ago.

The knockout championship is set Sunday at the Big Dome, where the Angels eye their third crown in this import-laden conference and fourth overall.

It will be the first title dance for new Gary and Lisa Van Sickle since husband-wife tandem took over the coaching reins as coach and assistant, respectively, this conference.

“I got good players and it’s easy to coach this team because they’re closely knit,” said Van Sickle.

Van Sickle’s daughter, super spiker Brooke, came out huge and unloaded 23 points including 20 on kills while Lindsey Vander Weide sprayed out 16 hits in helping seal the deal.

Van Sickle will be seeking her second crown since powering her club to its breakthrough All-Filipino title early this year.

Same with Vander Weide.

“I said in the beginning when I returned here that we needed to win it back,” said Vander Weide, who was the same import when the franchise won its last All-Filipino Conference three years ago.

But it appeared like Petro Gazz was in cruise control and ready to punctuate its finals return when it seized a comfortable two sets to nothing lead on a strong start anchored on Vander Weide and Van Sickle.

The Angels went on a tailspin from there as the Chargers went on attack mode starting on the third and sustained the dangerous momentum up to the fourth set that they took to force the critical final set.

There, Akari fought Petro Gazz tooth and nail before losing steam late with backbreaking errors that allowed the latter to escape with the triumph.

It was a heartbreaking ending for Akari, which was eyeing its own finals return after reaching it that far a year ago before falling to eventual winner Creamline.

It didn’t help that the Chargers had a brutal seven errors in that decisive set, which proved to be its last this conference.