Akari hot on top QF spot

Games Today:

(Philsports Arena)

1 p.m. — Capital1 vs Farm Fresh

3 p.m. — Akari vs Nxled

5 p.m. — Cignal vs Galeries Tower

Unbeaten Akari aims to boost its chances of claiming the top seed in the quarterfinals when it battles desperate Nxled in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference second round Pool D today at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Game time is at 3 p.m. following the clash between Capital1 and Farm Fresh at 1 p.m. while Cignal and Galeries Tower cap the triple-bill playdate at 5 p.m.

Holding a perfect 6-0 win-loss record, the Chargers want to keep their franchise-best winning roll going and move closer to securing a favorable spot in the knockout quarters.

Akari narrowly escaped Galeries Tower, 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 22-25, 18-16, last Saturday to formalize its entry into the next round.

Now the Chargers will get another tough test this time by their sister-team Chameleons, who are on a five-game losing funk for a 1-5 slate.

Despite the slump, Nxled remains dangerous and in fact, it came close to checking its skid before collapsing against Capital1, 25-20, 25-20, 16-25. 19-25, 6-15, last Saturday.

Akari reinforcement Oly Okaro is very much aware that the Chameleons will be coming in with all guns blazing to avoid getting the boot.

“When you are the top team, everyone wants to beat you really badly so they come with everything they have because they feel like they have nothing to lose so they just come,” said the American, who dropped 32 points in the previous outing.

“Sometimes you just see a team that once looked the one way and then look like a whole different team so like wow, where did that energy and confidence come from?”

Backing Okaro up are Grethcel Soltones, Ivy Lacsina, setter Kamille Cal and Ezra Madrigal against Nxled’s American import Meegan Hart, Jho Maraguinot, Chiara Permentilla and Lycha Ebon.

On the other hand, the Solar Spikers seek a breakthrough playoffs stint with another victory to add to its three-game win streak.

All eyes will be upon Russian Marina Tushova, fresh from setting a new scoring record after a 49-point eruption, when she leads Capital1 in its attempt to join quarterfinalists Akari, PLDT and Cignal.

The Foxies are raring to get back in the win column after seeing their two-game streak snapped by the HD Spikers, 23-25, 26-28, 27-25, 14-25.

Farm Fresh is tied with Choco Mucho with a 2-4 slate at eighth to ninth spot.

Only the top eight teams after the carryover second round will advance to the quarters.

While the HD Spikers look to secure a good position in the quarters, the Highrisers are fighting for survival after losing its first six starts tied with Zus Coffee.

Another defeat will formally send Galeries Tower to an early vacation.