All news tagged MJPhillips

The stage is set for the return of import action in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) as the 2025 Reinforced Conference fires off on October 7, featuring 12 professional teams eager to battle for supremacy.

At Thursday’s press launch in Pasig, PVL president Ricky Palou said fans can expect a heightened level of competition with foreign reinforcements joining the fray. 

“It’s going to be more competitive than usual because it’s Reinforced. We still have to see the caliber and skills of the imports, but whoever wins the championship, it’s anybody’s game.” Palou said. 

The tournament will conclude by the end of November to give way to the Philippines’ participation in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

Imports Ready to Shine

All squads have retooled their lineups with international talents aiming to spark deep runs this conference:

Creamline: American spiker Courtney Schwan seeks redemption after back-to-back bronze finishes.

PLDT High Speed Hitters: Russian ace Anastasiia Bavykina leads their title defense.

Galeries: Montenegrin standout Jelena Cvijovic returns.

Nxled: Spanish hitter Paola Martinez Vela joins the lineup.

Akari Chargers: American Annie Mitchem bolsters their attack.

Capital1: Ukrainian Oleksandra Bytsenko leads the charge.

Chery Tiggo: Cuban veteran Yunieska Robles Batista powers their campaign.

Choco Mucho: American Anyse Marlee Smith joins the roster.

Cignal: Greek attacker Eva Chantava boosts their offense.

Farm Fresh: Belgian power hitter Helene Rousseaux strengthens the team.

Zus Coffee: American Anna DeBeer joins the squad.

Streamlined Tournament Format

Teams are divided into two pools and play a single round-robin within groups.

Top three teams per pool advance to the second round, facing only the bottom three squads of the opposite pool.

Rankings follow the FIVB system: total wins, match points, set ratio, and point ratio.

After the second round, all teams are re-ranked (1–12). The bottom four are eliminated, while the top eight move to the knockout quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal matches will all be one-game, do-or-die battles.

With powerhouse imports, revamped rosters, and a format designed for unpredictability, the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference is shaping up to be one of the league’s most competitive showdowns yet.

Filipino-American standouts Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Tia Andaya are gearing up for their potential national team debut in the upcoming VTV Cup in Vietnam.

This year marks the third consecutive appearance of a Philippine team in the VTV Cup.

Alas Women head coach Jorge Souza de Brito expressed that the trio were not able to suit up for the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup due to pending eligibility requirements under the Philippine Federation.

Fortunately, their documentation is reportedly nearing its completion.

De Brito also confirmed last week that Van Sickle had already joined the national team’s training alongside Phillips, Andaya, Maddie Madayag, and Alleiah Malaluan. 

Petro Gazz reignited its campaign in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League with a commanding straight-sets victory over Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, 25-8, 25-12, 25-12, on Tuesday, April 22, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

The win not only marked their first in the tournament but also secured them the final quarterfinal berth, setting up a high-stakes clash with Chinese powerhouse Beijing Baic Motor.

After dropping their opening match to Pool B leader Kaohsiung Taipower in four sets (15-25, 16-25, 25-19, 20-25), the Angels bounced back in emphatic fashion, delivering a near-flawless performance against the winless Hong Kong side. 

From the first whistle, Petro Gazz established its dominance, allowing Hip Hing no room to build momentum during the swift one-hour, 13-minute match.

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.

The Petro Gazz Angels soared to new heights as they captured their first-ever All-Filipino Conference championship, stunning the powerhouse Creamline Cool Smashers in four thrilling sets, 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19, in front of 10,226 fans, on Saturday, April 12, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Creamline came out blazing in the opening set, showing the poise of a champion with clean execution and relentless energy. 

The two teams battled early, with a 15-10 scoreline marking their first long rally. MJ Phillips sparked a 3-0 Petro Gazz run, trimming the gap to 13-15 before a costly error by Mafe Galanza tied the match at 15-all. 

However, it was Brooke Van Sickle who turned the tide, scoring three consecutive kills to put Petro Gazz ahead 19-16. 

Alyssa Valdez provided a spark off the bench, but the Angels countered with composure and power to take Set 1.

Petro Gazz's dominance continued in the second frame. They opened with an 8-4 lead by shutting down Creamline’s offense and capitalized on unforced errors. Phillips remained unstoppable, while Jonah Sabete and Djanel Cheng delivered the blows—Sabete with smart attacks, and Cheng with three consecutive service aces. 

Creamline struggled to recover as the Angels cruised to a 25-16 win behind their heavy service pressure.