Myla Pablo and the Petro Gazz Angels will need to come alive to force a winner-take-all Game 3 against the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals.
It’s safe to say that the Petro Gazz Angels were caught off guard by the relentless play of the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles.
The Angels were dealt a surprising straight-sets loss in Game 1 of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals on Tuesday, putting their title bid in quite the predicament.
For veteran spiker Myla Pablo, the loss indeed served as a wake-up call for the team, who had won 10 straight games before facing ZUS Coffee in the quarterfinals.
"Kudos din talaga sa ZUS kasi nilaban nila itong game na ‘to," Pablo admitted to reporters after the match. "Pero syempre, hindi namin expect na ganito ‘yung mailalaro namin this game. Kaya nga sabi namin, kung anong naging lapses namin, kailangan talaga namin magtrabaho this Game 2."
Pablo, who finished with 14 points in the match, pointed to the team’s slow start as a key factor in their defeat, saying that they struggled to find their rhythm early on.
Petro Gazz had an 18-day break after the team's dominant win in the qualifying round against the Capital1 Solar Spikers.
It was only during the third set that Pablo believed the Angels found their footing, but by then, it was already too late.
"Nawala kami nung first set and second set," Pablo explained. "Nung third set, kala namin makukuha na namin, pero lumaban ang ZUS.”
“I think ‘yun din ‘yung naging kulang talaga namin—’yung tapang namin sa loob ng court,” she added.
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With their championship aspirations now suddenly in peril, Pablo emphasized the urgency of bouncing back in Game 2.
"Kailangan talaga namin magtulong-tulong as a team," she stressed. "Parang mas pinapahirap namin ‘yung sarili namin na humabol lagi ng set. Sa Game 2, kailangan talaga makauna kami.”
“Kailangan pukpukan kami para makuha itong Game 2. At least kahit papaano, may Game 3 pa,” she added.
With three days to prepare, the Koji Tsuzurabara-led squad will need to make quick adjustments to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Game 2 is set on Saturday, March 22 at the Ynares Center Antipolo.