PETRO Gazz and Creamline set out for a pair of repeat wins over tough foes today at the Mall of Asia Arena, looking to forge another clash for the Premier Volleyball League All Filipino crown.
The Angels and Cool Smashers scored four-set victories in the opener of their respective best-of-three semifinal series against PLDT and F2 Logistics, respectively, over the weekend and are keen on re-asserting their might to add another chapter to their rivalry that began to take shape in 2019.
Petro Gazz, then bannered by Myla Pablo, stunned the highly-fancied Creamline in the Reinforced Conference finals but the Cool Smashers got back at the Angels in the next Open conference.
They faced off again in this tournament, then dubbed the Open, last year with Creamline prevailing.
PLDT and F2 Logistics will surely go into today’s battle armed with a different mindset and key adjustments needed to keep them in the hunt for a title breakthrough in the league organized by Sports Vision.
The Angels recovered from a first-set stumble before cutting the taller High Speed Hitters down to size 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-18.
Petro Gazz coach Oliver Almadro downplayed their big fightback but credited the High Speed Hitters for pushing his wards to outdo themselves.
“PLDT is a really great team. But great teams will just push us forward,” said Almadro, whose wards will take on the High Speed Hitters at 4 p.m.
Like the High Speed Hitters, the Cargo Movers will need a lot of adjusting to do to slow down the Cool Smashers in their 6:30 p.m. match.
Creamline unloaded 69 attack points against F2’s measly 38-hit output partly caused by the continued absence of Pablo, who has not seen action since cramping out against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans last March 7.
Despite their edge, Creamline coach Sherwin Meneses has stressed the need for his wards to brace for a big F2 comeback, saying: “Hindi pa tapos ‘yung laban. Kailangan pa talaga mag-prepare. Pero happy kami naka-isa na kami sa F2.”
