LIPA CITY. – Petro Gazz rebounded from its stunning loss to a team of high schoolers a day before by beating Tuguegarao-Perlas Spikers 25-11, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20 on Thursday to win the bronze medal in the PNVF Champions League Thursday at the Aquamarine Recreational Center here.
Instead of being deflated, the Angels were determined to recover from last Wednesday’s five-set defeat at the hands of California Precision Sports that booted them out of the championship race.
PetroGazz matched its bronze-medal finish in the Premiere Volleyball League Open Conference in Ilocos Norte in August.
The Perlas Spikers, who paraded a different roster from their PVL campaign, wound up fourth with a 2-3 slate.
“Our mindset is to bounce back today. In our game last Wednesday, I have nothing to say and that’s why we wanted to bounce back,” middle blocker Ria Meneses said.
One of country’s best in her position, Meneses was in attack mode and went 18-of-31 spikes to finish with 19 points for the Angels.
Aware of the Perlas Spikers’ solid net defense, Meneses tinkered with her game to help Petro Gazz finish its campaign with a 3-2 win-loss record in the tournament that has Rebisco, Pitmaster Foundation Inc., Top Speed, 1Pacman Partylist, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee as platinum sponsors and F2 Logistics, Asics, PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation and Mikasa as gold sponsors and BCDA, Philippine Red Cross, Lipa City, Davis Paint and Emerald PVC Pipes, Fittings and Doors as silver sponsors with PNVF godfather, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Champions League, giving his full support.
“I think their spikers are very good. They know how to place the ball,” said Meneses, a national team mainstay. “I did my best and made my points through attacks.”
Ces Molina backed Meneses with 14 points to go with nine digs, Grethcel Soltones had 11 points and nine receptions and Jessey de Leon had two blocks for a 10-point outing for the Angels.
