Van Sickle delivers as Petro Gazz nears bronze finish

Games Sunday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Petro Gazz vs Chery Tiggo
6 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Creamline

MANILA, Philippines – Brooke Van Sickle vented her pent-up emotions of failing to will Petro Gazz to the finals as she came through with a tour-de-force effort in a 22-25, 25-12, 25-18, 27-29, 15-12 victory over Chery Tiggo Thursday to inch closer to a third-place finish in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Van Sickle was like a machine gun as she peppered the Crossovers with a career-high 36 points, including 31 on kills and four off blocks, as the Angels gained a 1-0 edge in their best-of-three series that resumes in Game 2 Sunday.

A decider, if necessary, is Tuesday also at the Big Dome.

“I didn’t realize I had that many points but my setters did a fantastic job,” said Van Sickle, adding that her recent scoring outburst was the best she ever had in her life.

The Angels appeared ripe for a first non-Reinforced Conference title after finishing the elimination round as the top seeds and coming one victory closer to barging into the finale.

But they heartbreakingly fell short following painful defeats in their last two semis outings with Choco Mucho and Creamline.

Van Sickle was just content that they managed to lick their wounds and bounce back quickly with this win.

“Losing sucks, no one wants to lose,” said Van Sickle. “There were good opportunities to learn, our team did a good job, we had hot runs. But tomorrow’s a new day, we have to stick together and be one family, one unit and keep on moving on.”

“I feel we did a good job bouncing back,” she added.

Jonah Sabete likewise fired at will with 21 hits while MJ Philips scattered 15 points herself including a match-high five blocks.

The Crossovers, who were watched by their former star Jaja Santiago, fought back from deficits in the fourth set to stave off match point, held on to the set and forced a decider.

It turned out Chery Tiggo’s last breath as Van Sickle relentlessly poured it on that sealed it.