American import Gia Day led the charge as Petro Gazz swept Hong Kong’s Hip Hing, 25-8, 25-12, 25-12, to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League—but despite the dominant win, the outside hitter remains focused on building stronger team chemistry and improving her game.
The Angels bounced back in emphatic fashion after suffering a four-set defeat to Kaohsiung Taipower in their tournament opener. Day was instrumental in the must-win performance, scoring a match-high 18 points—all on attacks—along with eight digs and three receptions to anchor the team on both ends.
“I think I can pass a little bit better so we can run our whole offense. That’s number one,” said the 26-year-old Day after the match. “Number two, just staying confident. Sometimes I’m really hard on myself, so I’ll accept the positivity from my team and not get so down.”
Despite being the only double-digit scorer for the Angels, Day held herself to high standards, citing areas of her performance she hopes to polish heading into tougher battles ahead.
“I’m a little disappointed with myself today. I did some messy things that I can clean up,” she said. “I’m always analyzing each day after and expecting the most out of myself.”
Still, Day credited her teammates and head coach Koji Tsuzurabara for creating a stress-free environment that allows her to focus on growth rather than pressure.
“They’ve made this so much fun. All of the pressure comes from myself—not from my team, not even from the coach,” she shared. “He hasn’t said one demanding thing to me, which is strange, but I’m so thankful.”
Day, a standout from Baylor University, emphasized that the team’s growing chemistry will be key as they face stronger opponents, including a looming quarterfinal clash against Chinese club Baic.
“They help me a lot—enjoying this with them, being in the moment,” she said. “In life, you’ll always have expectations… but you have to enjoy the little things. I think that’s the secret.”
