Petro Gazz makes quick work of Cignal for second win

The Petro Gazz Angels wasted no time in getting their second win in the 2021 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference after sweeping the Cignal HD Spikers, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21, at the Bacarra, Ilocos Norte bubble on Friday, July 23.

With the win, the 2019 Open Conference finalists rose to a 2-1 record while Cignal dropped to a 1-2 slate.

Kath Arado shored up the Angels’ defense with 23 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions, and was named Player of the Game, while Grethcel Soltones led the team’s balanced scoring with 14 points off 12 attacks.

Ces Molina added 11 markers while Ria Meneses and Myla Pablo chipped in 10 points apiece in the easy win.

After speeding away off a 25-18 second set, Petro Gazz never let up their lead in the game, and were still up big, 17-12, late into the third.

Although a late May Luna charge pushed the HD Spikers into a 20-all tie, that was the last gasp they had in them as the Angels soared away on a 5-0 finishing kick for the win.

Petro Gazz head coach Arnold Laniog was expectedly happy with the win, but noted that his players have a long way to go in this tournament.

“Pinakaimportante rito ‘yung stable mindset all the way ba, kahit makaranas ka ng down [moments] katulad kami ‘nung natalo,” he said.

“Kailangan pa talagang trabahuhin para sa mga future games, but anyway, third game pa rin lang naman, so ‘yun, one game at a time. Ang importante nanalo.”

(What’s most important here is the stable mindset all the way, even if we experience some down moments like when we lost. We still need to work harder for the future games, but anyway, this is just the third game, so we’ll take it one game at a time. What’s important is we won.)

Cignal will look to bounce back in the last game of the Sunday, July 25 triple-header slate against the spirited BaliPure Water Defenders at 7 pm.

Meanwhile, Petro Gazz tentatively has a Tuesday, July 27 game against the winless PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters, but the schedule may still change. – Rappler.com