In a pivotal and see-saw showdown, Akari carved out a hard-earned 21-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, 15-11 victory over Galeries Tower on Saturday to inch closer to the semifinal round of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at Philsports Arena.

Ivy Lacsina delivered a solid, career-matching 28-point showing, leading Akari’s guns with 22 attack points and six kill blocks. Eli Soyud also ramped up her game with 19 points, dominating the fourth set to help force a decider, while Gretchel Soltones provided crucial hits in the final two sets, contributing 10 points.

The Chargers also drew key support from Fifi Sharma, Camille Victoria, Michelle Cobb, Faith Nisperos and Steph Bustrillo, who combined for 21 points in an enery-sapping two-hour, seven-minute encounter.

With the match hanging in the balance at 11-10 in the fifth set, Victoria fired a decisive kill, ending Akari’s scoring drought and sparking a closing run that saw the Chargers secure four of the last five points. Their poise and composure in the clutch proved pivotal as they took control of the best-of-three series.

“Our preparations against Galeries made the difference,” said Soyud in Filipino after claiming the Best of the Player award. “We made in-game adjustments to counter their speed, focused on hard serves and solid blocking, and recovered in Sets 2 and 4.”

She also credited the coaching staff, saying: “Everybody wanted to win and reach the semis. We’re grateful for the trust from our coaches, and all our hard work paid off.”

The Chargers thus extended their dominance over Galeries Tower to 5-0 in head-to-head matchups and will aim to close out the series on Thursday.

Cobb also played a vital role, dishing out 21 excellent sets while keeping the Highrisers’ defense at a loss.

Despite the loss, Galeries Tower proved its capability of competing with the league’s top contenders. Jewel Encarnacion and France Ronquillo led the Highrisers with 18 and 17 points, respectively, while Ysa Jimenez added 13 points and Roselle Baliton chipped in 11 points.

The Highrisers, who previously stunned third-ranked Cignal HD Spikers to advance outright, fought hard but faltered under pressure in the decisive moments. Although they stayed within striking distance, their lack of offensive execution in the closing stretch underscored their inexperience in high-pressure situations.

With Game 2 looming, Galeries Tower, which outlasted Farm Fresh in the qualifying round, aims to make the necessary adjustments to stay alive, while Akari eyes a series-clinching win to march into the next round of the tournament organized by Sports Vision.

Lacsina and Soyud took turns firing relentless attacks at the heart of the Galeries Tower defense in Set 5, combining for eight crucial points that powered Akari’s comeback from a 1-3 deficit to a commanding 9-5 lead. Their surge was further fueled by the Highrisers’ struggles in service reception, allowing the Chargers to score three aces — two of which came from Sharma.

Despite the setback, the Highrisers refused to back down, mounting a spirited fightback to close the gap to 8-9. A three-point flurry — sparked by Soyud’s service fault, an Akari rotation error, and an ace from Encarnacion — put the Chargers under pressure.

However, Akari’s composure held firm in the nerve-wracking finish. Victoria broke the Chargers’ scoring drought with a crucial kill, helping them fend off another tight 11-10 challenge. They then delivered a decisive finishing kick, winning four of the last five points to secure the win and gain the upper hand in the series between lower-ranked teams.

Sharma’s running attack extended Akari’s lead to 12-10 before Lacsina struck again, notching her 27th point as the Highrisers scrambled to set up an offensive play. A costly miscue further widened the gap, and despite a service error from Soltones, Lacsina fittingly sealed the deal with a powerful kill, capping off her stellar performance and sending the Chargers one step closer to the semis.

The Highrisers seized momentum in the pivotal frame, surging to an 8-3 lead. Each time the Chargers attempted to rally, Galeries Tower responded with timely hits from multiple sources to maintain their grip on the set.

Twice, Akari managed to pull even, but each time, the Highrisers quickly regained control. After Ivy Lacsina’s crucial kill brought the Chargers within one at 20-21, Galeries Tower turned to Baliton, whose impeccable timing led to back-to-back blocks against Soltones, pushing them to match point at 24-20.

Shaken by the Highrisers’ late surge, the Chargers struggled to reorganize their defense. Jimenez capitalized, delivering a clutch ace to seal the set and hand Galeries Tower a crucial 2-1 advantage.

The Highrisers’ defensive dominance was evident, registering five blocks in the set. Despite being outgunned in attacks, 9-12, they capitalized on Akari’s nine unforced errors while conceding just six free points of their own.