Coach Tsuzurabara’s dream comes true with Petro Gazz

BrookeVanSickle MJPhillips KojiTsuzurabara PetroGazzAngels CreamlineCoolSmashers PLDTHighSpeedHitters volleyball

Every team, every sport, and every coaching staff shares one objective: to attain victory and claim the championship. For the Petro Gazz Angels, this dream became a reality.

After a thrilling 2024–25 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Finals, the Angels proved to themselves that the win was theirs. They dethroned the Creamline Cool Smashers with a commanding 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19 victory in Game 3 on Saturday, April 12.

For Petro Gazz Coach Koji Tsuzurabara, the championship was the culmination of a long-held dream.

Tsuzurabara never doubted his team. He believed in the players he had—players capable of going all the way.

Tsuzurabara was fortunate and thrilled to have a talented team, including standout players like Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Philips, who not only secured the championship but also earned the Conference MVP and Finals MVP awards, respectively.

“I trust the player we could win. I’m lucky to have a great team with great players,”  Tsuzurabara said.

For now, the Angels are preparing for the upcoming AVC Women's Champions League to be held on April 20 to 27, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig wherein they will face the teams of Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong. 

For Brooke Van Sickle, the PVL Conference MVP, the upcoming international tournament is especially exciting, as it marks her debut in international competition. She is eager to see how other countries play volleyball and learn from the experience.

“This is my first time with international play. So I'm just excited to see good volleyball and just be able to see how other countries play the sport and to learn from them and grow and just to see the intensity. So I'm super stoked,” said Van Sickle.

The Petro Gazz Angels, alongside PLDT High Speed Hitters and Creamline Cool Smashers, will represent the Philippines at the AVC Women’s Champions League, fighting not just for victory, but for national pride and honor.

Coach Koji Tsuzurabara
Photo courtesy PVL media
Jet Hilario

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