ANGELS, TITANS TO FORGE FINALS DUEL

THE Petro Gazz Angels and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans look to top separate foes and forge a championship duel in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.

Starting the round-robin semifinals with respective victories, the Angels face the defending champs Creamline Cool Smashers at 4 p.m. as the Flying Titans battle the Chery Tiggo Crossovers at 6 p.m. today at the PhilSports Arena.

Victories by Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho in the aforementioned contests will elevate their records to both 2-0, assuring a top two finish in the three-game round-robin semis that merits the two finals berths.

Petro Gazz halted the Crossovers' seven-game winning run and stretched its own victory streak to six games with a 20-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-16 triumph last Tuesday.

Filipino American spiker Brooke Van Sickle, who fired 21 points and logged 12 excellent digs and eight receptions against Chery Tiggo, said the Angels need to stay focused to put themselves at least an inside track in one of the two finals berths.

"We just have to make sure that we continue to focus on our side and take care of our business. When we all come together and very collectively just like 'OK, this is what we're gonna do' and continue to push, I think this team can do great things. We just need to stay focused," said Van Sickle.

The Flying Titans are seeking no less than a win, too, in order to avoid any complications in the final day of the round-robin semis on Sunday.

No finals berth is assured yet if one or both Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho lose to their respective opponents today.

That's a scenario that the Angels and the Flying Titans are trying to prevent, but exactly the thing that the Cool Smashers and the Crossovers are pushing for.

Choco Mucho is coming off a breakthrough win against sister team Creamline last Tuesday, coming back from two sets down to earning a 13-25, 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-16 triumph last Tuesday.

It was the Flying Titans' first victory ever against the Cool Smashers, snapping a 12-game losing streak to the latter.

"We need to work for every point. Whatever we do in training translates to the games. We need to love what we do every day, and we can do whatever adjustments that we need," said Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin.

Games today

(PhilSports Arena)4 p.m. Petro Gazz vs Creamline

6 p.m. Chery Tiggo vs Choco Mucho

2024-05-02T00:28:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd