Foxies tame 2-time champ Angels, march to quarterfinals

Games Thursday, Nov 13, 2025
Araneta Coliseum
1:30 p.m. – Cignal vs ZUS Coffee
4 p.m. – Nxled vs Akari
6:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Creamline

Farm Fresh continued to prove its growing might and maturity, taking down its biggest prey yet – two-time champion Petro Gazz – to formalize its march to the quarterfinals with a gritty 25-21, 25-22, 21-25, 28-26 triumph in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Tuesday.

Denied a sweep, the Foxies kept their composure when it mattered most, outlasting the Angels in the tension-filled fourth set where championship experience was supposed to give Petro Gazz the edge.

Instead, the young Farm Fresh side showed poise beyond its years.

Trisha Tubu once again played fearlessly, complementing the dynamic tandem of Eli Rosseaux and setter Alohi Robins-Hardy.

Together, they steered the Foxies through a dramatic endgame stretch.

Tubu repeatedly punished the Petro Gazz defense with off-the-block hits, including a crucial spike that saved a set point at 25.

Then Robins-Hardy, reading the floor perfectly, executed another trademark 1-2 play for her ninth attack point, pushing Farm Fresh to match point.

Lindsey Vander Weide momentarily kept the Angels alive with a deep crosscourt kill, but Rosseaux – quiet for a spell in the rotation – reasserted herself in the closing moments.

Off another feed from Robins-Hardy, the Belgian import launched a thundering back-row attack that pierced through the Petro Gazz defense, then delivered the finishing blow after the Angels failed to mount a steady counterattack following a shaky reception.

The two-hour, one-minute win propelled the Foxies to the Last 8 with a 5-1 record, matching the PLDT High Speed Hitters’ output and joining the unbeaten ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles (6-0) atop the leaderboard entering the knockout rounds.

“The break did good for us. We really had time to practice on our serve and defense, which were needed – and we saw that in this game,” said Rosseaux, who delivered another 31-point explosion to power the Foxies to back-to-back wins following their Oct. 31 victory over Choco Mucho after a tough loss to PLDT.

When asked about her growing chemistry with Robins-Hardy, Rosseaux said: “We’re just chill and good together. We don’t push each other too hard. It’s not really a secret.”

But beyond their skills, it’s the Foxies’ evolving cohesion that’s quickly turning heads.

Once seen as a promising but raw squad, Farm Fresh now plays with precision, trust, and a quiet confidence that speaks of a team growing into its full potential.

Their defensive intensity, fluid offensive patterns, and steady composure in crunch moments have transformed them into legitimate contenders – a unit no longer content with moral victories, but one that demands to win.

With the knockout stages looming, the Foxies’ blend of youth, chemistry, and hunger is proving to be their sharpest weapon – and perhaps, their ticket to an even deeper playoff run.

Meanwhile, Petro Gazz fell to its third loss in six outings, staying at joint seventh with Cignal.

The Angels’ latest setback also opened the door for other struggling teams to stay in contention for the eighth and final quarterfinals berth.

Tubu finished with 14 points, while Ces Molina contributed 10, and Lorene Toring and Rizza Cruz combined for 13 as the Foxies outgunned the Angels in attacks, 68-54.

That offensive edge helped offset their disadvantage in blocks, 4-9, and in free points, 22-28.

Robins-Hardy also stood out with 21 excellent sets, outplaying counterpart Jules Tolentino, who tallied 15.

Molina also helped anchor the defense with 19 excellent digs and 11 receptions, teaming up seamlessly with Alyssa Bertolano, who added 13 digs and 11 receptions, to fortify the Foxies’ floor coverage.

Vander Weide and Brooke Van Sickle paced Petro Gazz with 16 points apiece, while MJ Phillips and Ranya Musa chipped in 13 and 10, respectively.

However, the Angels struggled to keep up with the Foxies’ strong finishes in the first two sets and couldn’t sustain their momentum after a spirited third-set win, fading in the closing stretch of the fourth.

Earlier, with Rosseaux and Tubu delivering as expected on both wings, the Angels struggled to contain the Foxies’ relentless offense.

Adding to their woes was their inability to mount an effective counterattack, as Vander Weide and Van Sickle failed to shake off their first-set struggles and were outplayed at the net.

While the Foxies displayed efficiency and cohesion, the Angels grappled with inconsistency – moving sluggishly and appearing tentative with their plays. This allowed the Foxies to dominate and sweep the first two sets.

Petro Gazz, however, threatened to turn things around in the second set.

A crosscourt hit from Vander Weide, following a solid dig by Jellie Tempiatura on a Rosseaux hammer, pulled them within 22-23.

But Rosseaux responded with a baseline hit, and after the Foxies picked up a Myla Pablo attack, she unleashed another rocket that deflected off Van Sickle’s arms and into the bleachers, sealing a commanding 2-0 set lead for Farm Fresh.

Still, the Angels, who suffered a shutout loss to the unbeaten ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, refused to go down quietly.

They raced to a 7-3 advantage in the third set – a cushion that served as their springboard to stay alive in the match.

Vander Weide took charge in the stretch, unleashing three consecutive kills as the Angels broke a 21-all count to reach set point.

After another solid defensive stand, setter Jules Tolentino stepped up and outdueled Ces Molina in a joust to seal the Angels’ crucial victory and keep their campaign alive.

The Foxies, meanwhile, played the crunch time without Rosseaux, as coach Alessandro Lodi chose to rest his prized import.

Still, their all-Filipino squad held firm, managing to pull even at 21-all on a sharp Tubu hit before eventually yielding.