Wilma Salas.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Against all odds, Petro Gazz made it to the quarterfinals of the PVL Reinforced Conference.
The challenge to keep the crown it has won for the last two editions on its head, however, is far from over and things will only get tougher for the Angels who are riding a four-game winning streak that resuscitated their campaign.
Petro Gazz refueled its title-retention bid after a dominant 25-20, 25-16, 25-12 triumph against Chery Tiggo last week that sealed a win-or-go-home clash against eight-time champion and familiar foe Creamline at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
“I say the same [thing] every time: We go to the court to fight. We go to the court to smile, to enjoy every time,” Wilma Salas said as she slowly got back to her prime form to power Petro Gazz along with the ever consistent MVP, Brooke van Sickle.
The winner will battle Cignal, which secured its spot in the semifinals after outlasting another record-breaking 50-point eruption from Capital1’s Marina Tushova.
Meanwhile, PLDT and Chery Tiggo tangle at 4 p.m. What awaits them is idle Akari, which still hasn’t stepped off the gas pedal and is on a nine-game winning run.
While the Angels are peaking at the right time, the No. 3 Cool Smashers have stayed consistent, not showing any effects of the absence of their triple threat in Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos to injuries and Jema Galanza to the national team.
Championship history
“This is still the same Creamline no matter who is here. We have been together for a long time now so we have no problems,” said Kyle Negrito, one of the remaining starters for the Cool Smashers.
There is a history between the two teams that started back in 2019 when the Angels first took home the gold after outlasting the Cool Smashers in their Finals series.
They were backstopped then by the late Janisa Johnson, who was named the Finals MVP, and former Best Foreign Guest Player and current import Salas, the main reason why the Angels were able to arrest a flatlining quest here.
“For me, it’s more than special, because I say this conference is dedicated to Janisa. Sometimes, I feel Janisa in the court. I feel Janisa’s support [for] the team. So, for sure, we go to the court to win for Janisa,” Salas said. INQ
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