ZUS Coffee defeats Petro Gazz in PVL quarterfinals

ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles won Game 1 against Petro Gazz Angels in the quarterfinals of the PVL All-Filipino Conference. They won the match in straight sets with scores of 25-21, 25-23, and 27-25. Jovelyn Gonzaga made a key play at match point by blocking Myla Pablo's attack. This victory puts ZUS Coffee one win away from reaching the semifinals for the first time. Gonzaga expressed surprise at the win, highlighting the teamwork of both players and coaching staff. Chai Troncoso was the standout player for ZUS Coffee, scoring 14 points. She had nine attacks and four blocks. The team focused on blocking, which helped them secure the win. Coach Jerry Yee emphasized the importance of strong blocking in their strategy. ZUS Coffee improved significantly after beginning the season with a losing record. They turned things around by sweeping a play-in tournament to earn a spot against the Angels. Other key contributors included Mich Gamit, who added 10 points, and setter Clo Mondonedo, who provided 18 excellent sets. In the match, ZUS Coffee took control early but Petro Gazz fought hard to come back. Despite trailing by seven points in Set 2, the Angels made a strong push but couldn't secure the win. In the final set, Petro Gazz had moments of brilliance but ultimately fell short after critical errors.