PETRO Gazz looks to sweep Creamline and clinch its first championship in an all-local tourney in Game 2 of their best-of-three Finals series in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference today, March 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Angels face the defending champs Cool Smashers, their Finals tormentors in the same conference last year, at 6:30 p.m.

Petro Gazz turned back Creamline in four sets 25-22, 24-26, 2523, 26-24 in Game 1 last Sunday to move on cusp of its first AllFilipino Conference title.

The victory was sweeter for the Angels since it’s their first over the Cool Smashers in more than three years or since Game 3 of the 2019 Reinforced Conference, stopping a 14-game skid against the latter in the process.

Sweet and morale-boosting was their Game 1 win, the Angels are not about to dwell on it as their job is not yet done, aware that closing out a series is one of the hardest things to do in any sport.

“We have to manage ourselves not to be overwhelmed and not to be frustrated. We have to be consistent,” said Petro Gazz head coach Oliver Almadro.

“We will breathe properly because the first game is already over but the series is not. As they said, the hardest thing to do is to close out the series.”

Jonah Sabete once again led the fight for the Angels in Game 1 where she pumped in 18 points on 16 attacks and two blocks laced with 15 excellent receptions.

But she wasn’t alone as Grethcel Soltones got 14 points and 17 digs, Aiza Pontillas logged 15 points, MJ Phillips notched 14 and Djanel Cheng tossed 20 excellent sets.

Everything practically clicked for the Angels and they head to Game 2 carrying that confidence and momentum. Almadro, though, said that it’s still an even playing field.

“It’s still even. The series isn’t done in one game so we have to work better in Game 2. And we know, Creamline is a mature team, they’re an intact team. They are a team that’s, as I’ve said, they are the Goliath,” said Almadro of Creamline.

“They are the strongest, the biggest and the most popular. They’re pushing us to do better and that great team will just push us forward. We will still work hard and pray to God, and ask for strength and wisdom all the time.”

The Cool Smashers, on the other hand, want to extend the series into a sudden-death Game 3, of course.

Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses said that his team needs to reduce its errors in Game 2 after having 22 in Game 1, including the net touch violation on Jia de Guzman that clinched the match for Petro Gazz.

“On Tuesday, we need to play better and be determined to get that win because Petro Gazz is good. They played well. We gave up so many errors, basic errors, service, net touch. We have to work on those errors.”

De Guzman, Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos are expected to lead the charge for the Cool Smashers.