ILOILO CITY -- Petro Gazz's Remy Palma shone as the team's calming presence during a tight second set in their match against Chery Tiggo in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference. In front of a massive crowd at the University of San Agustin Gymnasium here, Palma hammered a running attack that kick-started a 4-0 Petro Gazz rally late in the second frame, leading them to a massive 24-17 advantage.
However, the Angels lost track after a miscommunication on the receive, which led to a yellow card being called on Jonah Sabete. Despite the Crossovers' seven-match point saves and tying the game at 24-all, Palma served as the team's leader, urging them to block the noise and move on from their errors. She broke the 24-all deadlock with a quick hit, and the rest of Petro Gazz finished it off, winning 28-26.
Palma's 12 points helped the Angels clinch the second seed in the standings and eliminate the Crossovers from semis contention. Grethcel Soltones top-scored with 14 points, while Aiza Maizo-Pontillas and MJ Phillips added 13 and 10 points, respectively, to help Petro Gazz end the eliminations with a 6-2 card.
Despite getting overwhelmed by the massive crowd, Palma expressed her desire to give back to the Ilonggos, who came out in full force to support the teams. "So, personally, my mindset is to give back, to give back for the people here whose expectations are for us to play our best and to do our best every game," said the FEU product.
Palma's leadership and composure during a tense moment helped Petro Gazz clinch the win and secured their spot in the semis.
