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PVL: Brooke Van Sickle in awe of Zus Coffee's rise

Article (news)

John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1742965954346PVL AFC 25 Petrogazz vs. Zus - -2448.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles. <em>PVL Media Bureau</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA, Philippines – After posing a threat to second-seeded and veteran team Petro Gazz, Zus Coffee proved that it has a lot to offer in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).</p><p>And that didn&#x27;t go unnoticed, as Petro Gazz ace Brooke Van Sickle praised the rise of the Thunderbelles in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2025/3/25/pvl-petro-gazz-ousts-zus-coffee-completes-final-4-cast-1956"><strong>READ: PVL: Petro Gazz ousts Zus Coffee, completes Final 4 cast<br/></strong></a></div><p>Although it was the Angels who emerged with the win, 25-21, 25-19, 25-23, Van Sickle said that as a spiker, she was challenged by the Thunderbelles&#x27; defense.</p><p>&quot;Zus [Coffee] is a fantastic team. I&#x27;m really excited to just, every conference that goes by, they&#x27;re just getting better and better and it&#x27;s really cool to see,&quot; said Van Sickle during the post-match interview.</p><p>&quot;I keep saying this — I think they&#x27;re one of the better teams of defense. They&#x27;re so scrappy and they just have this attitude when it comes to defense,&quot; she added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2025/3/18/pvl-zus-coffee-pulls-off-massive-upset-vs-petro-gazz-in-game-1-of-quarters-2033"><strong>READ: PVL: Zus Coffee pulls off massive upset vs Petro Gazz in Game 1 of quarters<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;As a hitter, it&#x27;s hard. It&#x27;s hard playing them because they&#x27;re just gonna dig the ball and you just don&#x27;t know if they&#x27;re just gonna ping it back over. And it&#x27;s really cool and hard as a hitter.&quot;</p><p>Van Sickle said she hopes to be inspired — including the rest of the league — by Zus Coffee&#x27;s persistent retaliation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2025/3/23/pvl-jonah-sabete-immediately-makes-presence-felt-in-return-to-petro-gazz-1740"><strong>READ: PVL: Jonah Sabete immediately makes presence felt in return for Petro Gazz<br/></strong></a></div><p>&quot;That&#x27;s awesome and I hope that inspires the rest of PVL like, &#x27;hey, for us, we&#x27;re like, well, we have to match their defense.&#x27; So, it pushes us in ways that are really awesome.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2025/3/22/pvl-petro-gazz-avenges-upset-loss-vs-zus-coffee-in-qf-opener-forces-decider-1754"><strong>READ: PVL: Petro Gazz avenges upset loss vs Zus Coffee in QF opener, forces decider<br/></strong></a></div><p>Zus Coffee secured its best outing yet, finishing 7th place this conference. In contrast, the Thunderbelles concluded their first two conferences at the bottom in 12th place.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gDWm8KTjDjQ??si=p7wj0lY5z5sPwGjQ&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"Zus [Coffee] is a fantastic team. I'm really excited to just, every conference that goes by, they're just getting better and better and it's really cool to see," says Brooke Van Sickle #PVL2025 </p>

"Zus [Coffee] is a fantastic team. I'm really excited to just, every conference that goes by, they're just getting better and better and it's really cool to see," says Brooke Van Sickle #PVL2025