PVL quarterfinals: Creamline ousts rival Chery; Vengeful Petro Gazz blanks ZUS for series tie

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The 2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference quarterfinals boils down to one last game as mighty Creamline clinches the third semifinals spot over Chery Tiggo, while Petro Gazz exacts revenge over ZUS Coffee to force a do-or-die Game 3

ANTIPOLO, Philippines – For the 17th straight time since joining the PVL back in 2017, the Creamline Cool Smashers are back in the semifinal round after sweeping rival Chery Tiggo in two quarterfinal games, ending with a 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 Game 2 conquest on Saturday, March 22.

In front of a packed, 4,400-strong house at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, Bea de Leon shone brightest with an all-around barrage, scattering 14 points on 7 attacks, 5 blocks, and 2 aces, while former MVP Bernadeth Pons topscored with 18 on 17 attacks.

Three-time MVP Tots Carlos added 14 points and 13 excellent digs, while Best Setter Kyle Negrito tossed up 25 excellent sets in the nip-and-tuck victory from one set down.

Seizing momentum from a pivotal third set that featured a 8-3 finishing surge from down 19-17, Creamline kept the pressure up in the fourth over a no-quit Chery Tiggo side, pushing ahead, 19-12, off a 6-0 breakaway before De Leon hammered down more hits for a 21-14 separation.

Still down 23-17 in the match’s twilight, Chery Tiggo managed a 5-1 fightback with nothing to lose to get within 24-22 off a Negrito miscue, but De Leon wanted nothing to do with a winner-take-all fifth frame, as she detonated for one last kill to send the Antipolo crowd into a raucous frenzy to end the match.

“Chery Tiggo simply refuses to lose,” Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses saidin Filipino. “We stay ready for those situations though we still have lapses. Chery really fought until the end of the fourth set, so we just had to be ready for that situation and I’m happy we’re through to the semifinals again.”

Seth Rodriguez paced the ousting loss with 16 points, followed by 14 from Cess Robles and 11 from Ara Galang.

Meanwhile, the Petro Gazz Angels fired back with a vengeance against red-hot ZUS Coffee, handing the gutsy Thunderbelles a taste of their Game 1 medicine with a 25-19, 25-13, 28-26 Game 2 rout to force a Tuesday, March 25 decider for a semifinals spot.

Reigning MVP Brooke Van Sickle celebrated her 27th birthday in style, hammering down a game-high 17 points, while veteran setter Chie Saet helped three other Angels to double-digit scoring with 18 excellent sets.

Jonah Sabete was one of those standout scorers as she tied Myla Pablo and MJ Phillips with 11 points to mark her triumphant return from multiple nagging injuries over the course of a two-month layoff.

Clo Mondoñedo, despite having 15 excellent sets in the loss, only helped one teammate to double digits as Chinnie Arroyo scored 10, while Thea Gagate and Jovelyn Gonzaga chipped in 8 and 7 points, respectively, in the sorry loss. – Rappler.com