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Petro Gazz’s Brooke Van Sickle outplays returning Alas Pilipinas and Choco Mucho star Sisi Rondina, while Faith Nisperos-led Akari trumps Galeries and debuting top rookie Julia Coronel to kick off the five-month 2024-2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference
MANILA, Philippines – The first two games of the five-month 2024-2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference are in the books, with Petro Gazz wrapping up the opening blockbuster double-header with a four-set win over reigning silver medalist Choco Mucho, 25-20, 26-28, 25-21, 25-16, on Saturday, November 9.
Reigning conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle picked up right where she left off, lighting up the PhilSports Arena with a 34-point eruption on 28 attacks, 4 aces, and 2 blocks.
Jonah Sabete backstopped the monstrous winning effort with 18 points, tying former MVP Sisi Rondina in Flying Titans’ losing cause.
Feeding off a telling third set where they overcame a 2-8 start, the Angels soared to a quick 4-1 blitz in the fourth frame on the back of Van Sickle and Sabete’s pinpoint cross shots.
Choco Mucho only got as near as 2, 6-8, before the Petro Gazz star duo repeatedly targeted the middle zone in a game-sealing 12-4 barrage, ending up with an insurmountable 20-10 gap as the Flying Titans failed to tune up their floor defense when they needed it the most.
“Basically, I feel like we just wanted to come out with that grit and with that fire. I’m super proud of the team. I’m proud of literally everyone, literally everyone. Everyone did a fantastic job today, the energy was great, and this was a very good start,” Van Sickle said.
“Choco is a fantastic team and you know, just to be able to squeak a win out of them is huge. Good job to them, good job to my teammates and everything. Yeah, I’m very proud of them.”
With former Choco Mucho captain Maddie Madayag bound for Japan, veteran Cherry Nunag took up the scoring cudgels with 12 points behind Rondina, while Kat Tolentino likewise scored 12 as she continues to recover from her nagging injuries in the previous conferences.
Meanwhile, the 2024 Reinforced Conference silver medalist Akari Chargers kicked off their All-Filipino title hunt with an up-and-down four-set win, 28-30, 25-15, 25-16, 25-23, over the gutsy Galeries Tower Highrisers — the first of a maximum 103 conference games.
Returning star spiker Faith Nisperos scored 9 of her 16 points in the nip-and-tuck fourth set, eventually helping take the win over her Alas Pilipinas teammate Julia Coronel, who impressed in her long-awaited pro-league debut with 9 excellent sets and 8 points.
Veteran hitter Eli Soyud topscored with 21 points, built off a staggering game-high 6 blocks, while stars Grethcel Soltones and Ivy Lacsina tied Nisperos with 16 points to their names as well.
Former UST standout Ysa Jimenez had one of her best games yet as a pro with 17 points in the losing effort, while ex-UP star Jewel Encarnacion scored 10. – Rappler.com
