MANILA, Philippines – Five months, 99 matches, one final game for one champion.
Both already having proven their worth for the PVL All-Filipino Conference title, the Petro Gazz Angels and defending champions Creamline Cool Smashers collide for one last battle, the winner-take-all finals Game 3, to determine who reigns supreme once and for all on Saturday, April 12.
Away from the cavernous chambers of the Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena due to scheduling conflicts, the PVL now offers one final showdown in what is expected to be a chock-full, standing-room-only PhilSports Arena — back to where the five-month conference started last November 9.
Ahead of the historic conference’s 99th and final match, Creamline and Petro Gazz stand dead-even after each taking one finals game in cardiac, five-set fashion, as only these two upper-echelon rivals can offer.
Possible back-to-back conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle stands tall both in winning and losing, as she leads the Angels not only in scoring, but also in tangible defensive effort.
Same goes for Creamline’s reigning Reinforced Conference MVP Bernadeth Pons, who, like Van Sickle, flaunts her all-around beach volleyball-honed skillset on both ends of the floor as three-time MVPs Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos take a backseat due to iffy health and low momentum.
Standout support options also roam aplenty for both sides, as Petro Gazz rides the hot hands of MJ Phillips, Jonah Sabete, and two-time MVP Myla Pablo depending on the in-game situation.
Creamline, meanwhile, leans on reigning All-Filipino Finals MVP Jema Galanza, reigning Invitational Conference MVP Michele Gumabao, and standout middle blockers Pangs Panaga and Bea de Leon.
Playmaking? Boxes are ticked as well on either side as veterans Chie Saet and Djanel Cheng alternate savvy setting for Petro Gazz as Kyle Negrito capably carries the burden alone for Creamline.
Wherever fans look, both teams have adjusted to offset glaring weaknesses, counted on their top stars without overreliance, and stayed calm in the face of adversity.
There will be no clear-cut winner until the final buzzer sounds and the trophy is raised Saturday night.
First serve is around 7 pm, some time after the 3 pm winner-take-all bronze series Game 3 between the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and the Akari Chargers. – Rappler.com