NOW OR NEVER: Chargers, HD Spikers favored in

NOW OR NEVER: Chargers, HD Spikers favored in | Daily Tribune

Games today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

4 p.m. — Cignal vs Capital1

6 p.m. — Akari vs Farm Fresh

The Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference knockout quarterfinals begin Saturday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, where top seed Akari squares off against Farm Fresh, and No. 2 Cignal faces Capital1 in do-or-die matches.

Parading superior records, the top seeds are taking on the lower-seeded squads as reward for performing well throughout the eliminations.

But with survival at stake, everything goes out the window.

The Chargers enter the quarterfinals with confidence, momentum, cohesion and camaraderie on their side, having swept the two-phase qualifying stage. Their opponent, the Farm Fresh Foxies, clinched the final quarterfinal berth after Choco Mucho’s critical loss to PLDT last Thursday.

While Akari is the clear favorite, the Chargers are fully aware of the unpredictability that comes with navigating the unchartered waters of knockout matches.

Akari coach Taka Minowa will be looking to repeat their previous victory over the Foxies, where Oly Okaro, the league’s second-leading scorer with 183 spikes, led Akari with an 18-point performance.

Grethcel Soltones and Ivy Lacsina also sparkled in that match, combining for 29 points, underscoring Akari’s balanced offensive attack. Their strong showing in the mid-season conference of the league is a stark contrast to their seventh-place finish in the All-Filipino, signaling their rise as a force to be reckoned with.

The 4 p.m. match between Akari and Farm Fresh will also test the Foxies’ mettle as they seek to defy expectations and upset the top seed although Farm Fresh coach Shota Sato faces the challenge of making significant adjustments to contain Okaro and the well-rounded Akari roster.

Meanwhile, the 6 p.m. clash between Cignal and Capital1 promises to be a thrilling showdown.

Although the HD Spikers defeated the Solar Spikers in four sets during the eliminations, Capital1 has made a lot of heads turn lately, winning five matches compared to their single victory in the All-Filipino Conference.

Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos will focus on neutralizing Marina Tushova, Capital1’s standout reinforcement, who has set scoring records with 45 and 49 points against Choco Mucho and Nxled, respectively.

However, Capital1 coach Roger Gorayeb is known for his tactical acumen and is expected to devise strategies to disrupt Cignal’s defensive and offensive patterns.

Des Clemente has embraced her role as a key player for Capital1, providing both defensive strength and offensive firepower.

Alongside her, rookie Leila Cruz, Julia Ipac and Jenya Torres will look to elevate their performances in the knockout stage, and skipper Jorelle Singh and playmaker Michelle Cobb complete a team determined to continue defying the odds.

Tushova’s efficiency has been remarkable, with 235 spikes and only eight faults in eight matches, placing her way ahead of Okaro in the scoring charts.

But Gorayeb knows that stopping Cignal’s MJ Perez, the fourth-leading scorer with 176 spikes, will be crucial.

“It’s hard to stop MJ (Perez), but we’ll try to limit her production,” Gorayeb said. “We’ll have to tighten our defense not just against MJ but also against the locals.”

Conversely, Gorayeb emphasized the need for his locals to step up and share the offensive load to prevent Tushova from overheating.

“Everybody must step up offensively to prevent Marina (Tushova) from getting worn out,” he added.