Petro Gazz didn’t even have two weeks to celebrate its PVL All-Filipino Conference title romp, with the Angels now contending for more than a club championship in a league that’s certainly a lot tougher.

“Past is the past. It’s a different stage. This is like a much higher [level] like this is crazy volleyball right now,” Brooke Van Sickle said of the Angels’ stint in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League. “[They are] all champions from Asia, so I’m really glad to have this opportunity.”

Petro Gazz made sure that all three local teams made it past group play after a 25-8, 25-12, 25-12 elimination of Hip Hing of Hong Kong on Tuesday night at PhilSports Arena.

Not that winning the AFC isn’t a big thing, but Van Sickle and the rest of the Angels are just savoring the chance to compete against the best in the region and applying everything they can learn to be better players and make Petro Gazz a better team.

“I want to soak in the good volleyball,” the two-time PVL MVP, added. “I am trying to learn and see all the good teams. And it’s just awesome to [be able to] play [against] China, I know that they’re so good.”

That game against Chinese team Beijing BAIC Motor will happen on Friday at 7 p.m.

Creamline and PLDT will see knockout action on Thursday, with the Cool Smashers battling powerhouse Nakhon Ratchasima at 7 p.m. and the High Speed Hitters clashing with Zhetysu VC from Kazakhstan at 4 p.m. also at PhilSports.