Petro Gazz reclaims PVL Reinforced Conference crown, Akari stuns back-to-back champs PLDT to clinch bronze 

The Petro Gazz Angels completed their season-long comeback on Sunday night, defeating the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles in four sets, 21-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20, to reclaim the PVL Reinforced Conference title at the Araneta Coliseum.

The championship marked Petro Gazz’s second title of the year, following their All-Filipino Conference crown earlier in the season.

Lindsey Vander Weide led the Angels with 23 points in a strong return to form, while Conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle added 20. 

Myla Pablo chipped in 14, including the championship-clinching hit off a steady Bangs Pineda dig and a calm setup from rookie setter Jules Tolentino. 

Tolentino produced 20 excellent sets in her first finals appearance, nearly matching ZUS Coffee’s Cloanne Mondonedo, who had 21. 

Vander Weide, Van Sickle, and Pablo combined to give Petro Gazz a 69-57 advantage in attacks, while the Angels also controlled the net with a 13-10 edge in blocks.

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2025 PVL Reinforced Conference Final Standings:

🥇 Petro Gazz Angels
🥈 ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles
🥉 Akari Chargers
4️⃣ PLDT High Speed Hitters
5️⃣ Farm Fresh Foxies
6️⃣ Creamline Cool Smashers
7️⃣ Cignal Super Spikers
8️⃣ Capital1 Solar Spikers
9️⃣ Choco Mucho Flying Titans
🔟… pic.twitter.com/W50oU9sMjR

— Volleytrails (@volleytrails) November 30, 2025

Despite committing 25 unforced errors, the Angels’ balanced scoring proved enough to hold off the young Thunderbelles. ZUS Coffee import Anna DeBeer, who secured the Best Foreign Guest Player award, was limited to 18 points. 

AC Miner added 16, Thea Gagate scored 11, and Jovelyn Gonzaga and Chinnie Arroyo had seven each.

Finals MVP MJ Phillips shook off a slow start to finish with 17 points.

“This championship means really a lot to us, especially because we were really rocky in the beginning,” Phillips said. “But we came together and pulled this out.”

Petro Gazz’s run to the title came after a turbulent preliminary phase marked by roster adjustments and Vander Weide’s ankle injury, which briefly threatened their campaign. Pablo’s late-season surge—including a 26-point performance to eliminate Creamline—helped spark the Angels’ return to form.

Earlier in the day, Akari claimed the bronze medal with a dramatic 15-25, 25-23, 21-25, 26-24, 20-18 victory over PLDT in one of the longest and most intense matches of the season.

Annie Mitchem delivered a 36-point explosion for the Chargers, while Ced Domingo and Eli Soyud came through in the deciding moments. Mars Alba finished with 22 excellent sets, outplaying PLDT’s Kim Fajardo, who had 20. Justine Jazareno led Akari’s defense with 23 digs.

PLDT libero Kath Arado posted a game-high 27 digs, while Savi Davison scored 30 points, Nastya Bavykina added 27, and Dell Palomata contributed 11. However, the High Speed Hitters managed only eight blocks, falling short in key moments.

With the victory, Petro Gazz completed one of its most resilient campaigns to date, highlighted by key performances from its core players and a late-season surge that carried them through the playoffs.

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