Brooke Van Sickle said that the Petro Gazz Angels have already shifted their focus to the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League, a week after their PVL All-Filipino championship victory.
It wasn’t the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League opener that the Petro Gazz Angels had in mind.
Fresh off their title victory in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference, the Angels faced a different kind of test on the international stage, falling to Kaohsiung Taipower in four sets, 15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 20-25, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig Monday, April 21.
While many would point to a championship hangover, Brooke Van Sickle, who is considered an import in the tournament, believes the team has already turned the page on their championship and is focused on the challenges ahead.
“The championship wasn’t too long ago. We already celebrated it. It’s in the past,” Van Sickle, who chipped in 13 points, said during the post-game press conference.
“We already knew AVC was going to happen, so we flipped the page; that was the last chapter. Now we’re all focusing on these games.”
The reigning PVL MVP also dismissed any pressure for the team to perform at their best on the international stage following their recent title.
“It’s a different tournament. Again, we won the championship, but it’s time to move on. We’re on a different tournament already, so no, I wouldn’t say there’s pressure,” the Fil-Hawaiian spiker explained.
“These are all championship teams for a reason, so we gotta switch our mental and get after it next game. Just try to bounce back, stick together as a team, and reflect,” she added.
[ALSO READ: PVL: Brooke Van Sickle finds ‘peak life’ after first All-Filipino title with Petro Gazz]
The All-Filipino champions will have to bounce back quickly, as Van Sickle pointed to communication and team cohesion as key areas for improvement moving forward.
“We just have to be ourselves and communicate more. I feel like that’s probably the main reason we came out super flat,” Van Sickle said. “It’s okay, we’ll bounce back.”
Next up for Petro Gazz will be Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, where the winner will advance to the quarterfinals. The match is set on Tuesday, April 22.