Akari unleashed a resilient performance to overturn a shaky opening set, powering through Chery Tiggo with a 22-25, 26-24, 25-18, 25-20 victory in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference preliminaries at the Philsports Arena on Tuesday night.
The Chargers shook off the frustration of a botched first set, where they squandered a commanding 19-11 lead, as they showcased tenacity and composure in the next three frames.
Their victory snapped an alarming three-game losing skein and brought them back to a 3-3 record, reigniting their hopes in the league's six-month-long campaign organized by Sports Vision.
Grethcel Soltones epitomized the team’s renewed fighting spirit, powering through a slight hand injury to top-score with 22 points and earn game honors. Despite the setback, the former MVP remained optimistic.
“Coach (Taka Minowa) reminded us that no matter what happens, we must keep fighting,” said Soltones in Filipino. Addressing concerns about her injury, she reassured fans, “My hand is fine so far.”
On ending their losing streak, Soltones expressed immense joy: “We talked about the need to overcome every adversity because that’s where our character is truly tested.”
Middle Fifi Sharma shone with 16 points, including six blocks, while Ivy Lacsina scored 15, including two clutch shots in the stretch, while Eli Soyud contributed nine markers while the rest ensured that the team closed out the game in style and with confidence.
Chery Tiggo, which entered the match riding on back-to-back wins, slipped to a 3-2 record, tying with PLDT. Despite a stellar opening set led by Cess Robles, Pauline Gaston and Mary Rhose Dapol, the Crossovers faltered as Akari rediscovered its rhythm and capitalized on a series of miscues.
Robles and Ara Galang matched 14-point outputs while Gaston, Aby Maraño and Dapol chipped in nine, eight and seven points, respectively, for the Crossovers.
The win not only redeemed Akari’s early-season promise following consecutive victories at the start of their campaign but also placed them firmly back in contention in the highly competitive tournament organized by Sports Vision.
The victory was also a much-needed relief after a string of setbacks as the Chargers aim to carry the momentum into the month-long holiday break. Their next challenge comes on Jan. 18, 2025, when they face the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
After yielding the opening frame in a dramatic collapse, Akari turned the tide in the second set with a spirited fightback. Down 20-23, the Chargers charged back to claim a tense win in extended fashion, setting the stage for their domination in the succeeding frames.
Sharma stood out in the pivotal set, delivering five crucial points to help secure a decisive win, with the Chargers likewise capitalizing on Chery Tiggo’s string of errors to wrest control at 2-1.
The fourth set turned into an intense battle of spurts, but Akari maintained its composure to prevail. It stormed to an 8-4 lead, but Chery Tiggo won the next three points.
Undeterred, the Chargers responded with a decisive 4-0 run, building a commanding 15-8 lead. Still, the Crossovers kept bouncing back, forcing a tie at 17 on back-to-back Galang hits.
This time, Akari showed growth and resolve, applying the hard lessons from its Set 1 collapse.
With unwavering focus and composure, they maintained their rhythm and control, ensuring there was no repeat of their earlier misstep.
Lacsina delivered consecutive hits, sparking a strong finish for the Chargers, who relied on their superior blocking to thwart the late-game attacks of Robles and Shaya Adorador. With a decisive 8-3 run, the Chargers shattered a 17-all count and sealed the victory with authority.
