Petro Gazz Eyes Fifth Win Against Crossovers

Games Today (Tuesday):
1:30 p.m. – Galeries vs. Cignal
4 p.m. – Capital1 vs. Creamline
6:30 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs. Chery Tiggo

Coming off a four-game winning streak before the holiday break, Petro Gazz seeks to maintain its momentum as it faces Chery Tiggo in the Premier Volleyball League’s All-Filipino Conference today (Tuesday) at the Philsports Arena.

The Angels, riding high on their dominant performance, are brimming with confidence ahead of their 6:30 p.m. matchup against the Crossovers. They capped the first half of the 32-playdate preliminary schedule with an impressive sweep of the previously unbeaten Cignal HD Spikers on Dec. 14.

With a 5-1 record and 15 points, Petro Gazz currently leads the 12-team standings. However, competition remains tight, with seven teams vying for playoff positions. Among them, Chery Tiggo, holding a 4-2 slate and 10 points, is determined to climb the rankings as the race heats up.

Cignal, looking to bounce back from its only defeat, will battle Galeries Tower at 1:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Creamline aims to extend its unbeaten run to five matches in its 4 p.m. clash against Capital1.

Chery Tiggo, facing the formidable Petro Gazz lineup of Brooke Van Sickle, Myla Pablo, and MJ Phillips, has bolstered its roster with former Cool Smasher Risa Sato. Known for her exceptional skills as a middle blocker, Sato’s addition brings experience and depth to a rotation already featuring key players like Cess Robles, Aby Maraño, Pauline Gaston, Shaya Adorador, and Ara Galang.

Chery Tiggo coach Norman Miguel said the team used its one-month break to focus on strength and conditioning, complemented by ball and skills training.

“Each player was tasked with maintaining their strength and conditioning routines individually during the break,” Miguel said. “To ensure accountability, they submitted video updates to our strength and conditioning coaches for monitoring.”

In other matches, the Cool Smashers, led by Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, Alyssa Valdez, Bea de Leon, and Michele Gumabao, are heavily favored against the struggling Solar Spikers, who hold a 1-4 record.

Meanwhile, Cignal, second in the standings, faces roster adjustments following the departures of Ces Molina and Riri Meneses. Galeries Tower, despite its challenges, is eager to exploit Cignal’s depleted lineup and earn a much-needed win.