Akari displayed its grit and determination in outlasting Farm Fresh in a dramatic 25-11, 23-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-9 victory in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference qualifying round on Tuesday at the Philsports Arena.
Ivy Lacsina delivered an outstanding performance while Gretchel Soltones made a rousing return for the Chargers, who punched a ticket to the quarterfinals, where they will face dangerous Galeries Tower.
The Foxies, on the other hand, need to win in the play-in tournament to keep their flickering title hopes alive.
Lacsina, a former National University star, displayed impressive performance, finishing with 21 kills and a block for a 22-hit effort while Eli Soyud and Soltones provided firepower with 14 and 11 points respectively.
Soltones, who last played on 10 December, also made her presence felt on the defensive end as she tallied three of the Chargers’ 12 total kill blocks — 10 more than the Foxies.
The Chargers also capitalized on Farm Fresh’s shaky service reception, tallying nine aces while surrendering just four.
Though Akari committed 36 errors, 10 more than Farm Fresh, its aggressive offense more than compensated, proving decisive in their come-from-behind victory.
“We’ve been through a lot of off days, so my emotions really came out in this game. This win is also a big boost for our team,” Lacsina said, emphasizing the importance of trust and chemistry in a young team like Akari
“We’ve put in a lot of work over the past days, and we’ve made a lot of sacrifices. Of course, my teammates and coaches also serve as my inspiration.”
Akari came out firing in the first set with Lacsina spearheading the offensive charge to dictate the tempo early. But Farm Fresh responded with back-to-back set victories, fueled by Trisha Tubu’s relentless attacks and a strong defensive stand that forced the Chargers to adjust their game plan.
With their quarterfinal hopes hanging in balance, Akari fought back in the fourth set, finding their rhythm behind Soyud’s steady play to force a deciding fifth set.
The final set saw Farm Fresh momentarily shift momentum with a 3-0 run to tie the game at six-all, but the Chargers quickly regained control with a crucial 5-0 rally to pull away at 12-7.
Soltones then sealed the win with a clutch block on Tubu, sending Akari to the next phase of the tournament.
Lacsina highlighted their unity and ability to adjust as key factors in their emphatic victory.
“We focused on building our team chemistry and trust in each other. Since we’re a young team, we still need to get to know each other better,” she said.
Soltones, meanwhile, admitted she was not expecting to play early in the match.
“I’m happy, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting to go in because the team played really well in the first set. But coach told me to be ready, so I made sure I was,” the veteran spiker said.
Akari head coach Takayuki Minowa acknowledged the contributions of Soltones, whose experience played a crucial role in the victory.
“As a mentor and a leader, Grethcel is important. She has the most experience in Akari, especially in crucial games,” Minowa said, emphasizing the importance of focusing on their own game.
“It doesn’t matter who the opponent is; what’s important is that we focus on ourselves.”