Petro Gazz Angels' Brooke Van Sickle. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA, Philippines – Petro Gazz ace Brooke Van Sickle shared Tuesday her biggest takeaway in the quarterfinals of the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.
The Angels concluded their quarterfinal run with a win, 25-21, 25-19, 25-23, completing a 2-1 triumph to enter the semifinals.
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After conceding Game 1 in straight sets, 21-25, 23-25, 25-27, Van Sickle acknowledged that "they can't come out flat," especially against an upset-seeking Zus Coffee side, and eventually in the semifinal round.
"Biggest lesson, I mean, I feel like we all learned it from the first [game]. You can't start off flat. The teams, especially now, going in the semis, like, the teams just gonna eat us up if we come out flat like that," said Van Sickle.
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Van Sickle took time to tip her hat to the defensive-minded Thunderbelles.
"I think they're one of the better terms of defense. They're so scrappy and they just have this attitude when it comes to defense. That's awesome and I hope that inspires the rest of PVL," she said.
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The reigning All-Filipino Conference MVP, as expected of her, led the Angels to the Game 3 win with 24 points on 22 attacks.
Van Sickle and the Angels are bracing for a tougher semis encounter, anticipating the championship caliber of Creamline and the physicality of high-flyer Sisi Rondina.
"And now we're playing other veterans, like teams that have won championships, Creamline, and, you know, other teams are just absolutely gunning for it. And these players are just really physical, like Sisi."
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