Petro Gazz's Brooke Van Sickle attacks the defense of Chery Tiggo in their bronze medal game of the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference, May 9, 2024 at the Araneta Coliseum. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- After coming two points short of the local scoring record in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), Petro Gazz star Brooke Van Sickle was quick to give the credit to her teammates and coaches.

Van Sickle fired 36 points in the Gazz Angels' hard-earned five-set win over the Chery Tiggo Crossovers on Thursday, which put them within a win of the bronze medal in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference. 

The Filipino-American wing spiker converted 31 of her 64 attacks to go with four blocks and an ace, while adding 10 digs in the Gazz Angels' 22-25, 25-12, 25-18, 27-29, 15-12 victory at the Araneta Coliseum. 

READ: Petro Gazz takes down Chery Tiggo, nears PVL bronze

"I didn't realize that I had that many points," Van Sickle said after the match, which took them two hours and 35 minutes to complete. "I think maybe it's a miscount. But my setters did a fantastic job, DJ [Djanel Cheng] did a very good job of being able to set us in system and setting that perfect ball."

Van Sickle's 36 points are two points off the scoring record for locals set by Creamline superstar Tots Carlos, who exploded for 38 points in a 26-28, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21, 16-14 win over Cignal HD last March.

More than her scoring output, Van Sickle was glad to grab the win after ending the semifinal round with back-to-back losses. She also stressed that her points were a result of superb team play from Petro Gazz, as they dealt well with the Crossovers' attacks.

"We were picking up balls, we were passing really well," she said. "My teammates, in like three rotations, they relieved me from passing, so I don't have to pass as much now. That lets me free up a lot more."

She also got plenty of tips from her coaches and teammates on how to navigate the Chery Tiggo defense.

"They're like, 'Hey, if you're in a situation where you feel stressed or anything, try to go here.' My teammates do it too. They're like, 'Hey, challenge this blocker.' They give me strategies a lot, so I'm very thankful for that. They help me big time," she added. 

With a chance to win a medal in her very first conference in the PVL, Van Sickle says she feels no pressure to duplicate her performance on Sunday's Game 2. She has every confidence in her teammates to step up as well come game time.

"I don't have to score that type of points because of my teammates, right? My teammates, we can rely on them. I know other people are producing points. Anyone can have their day and their night or whatever. So my teammates, they can do amazing things. So I don't feel too much pressure just because I have my teammates," she says.

Indeed, Petro Gazz got the job done in the fifth set even with Van Sickle in the back row. They seized control of the match behind middle blocker MJ Phillips, who scored three straight points to give her team an 8-4 lead.

Van Sickle still came up with a clutch hit -- a crosscourt attack for a 13-12 Petro Gazz lead. It was Phillips who put the Gazz Angels at match point with a power tip, before a Kacey Galdones ace completed their win.

Come Sunday, Van Sickle hopes that they can take care of business even as she anticipates the Crossovers' fightback.

"It all starts with the serve and pass," she says. "As long as we do those types of skills correctly, I think we'll be okay for the most part. But we're definitely expecting Chery Tiggo to come out fighting, for sure."

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