Akari blanks Capital1 in PVL On Tour showdown

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Akari Chargers got the better of the Capital1 Solar Spikers, 25-23, 25-18, 25-23, during their Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour clash on July 15, 2025, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

With the convincing victory, the Chargers capped off their PVL On Tour campaign with a 2-3 win-loss record, ending the preseason tournament on a high note.

Despite a shaky start in the tournament, Akari found gems during their last three matches, a thing that head coach Tina Salak is looking forward to when the formal regular season kicks off.

The adjustments during their five-match preseason schedule were evident in their last game, as they dominated the Solar Spikers on both ends of the floor.

Eli Soyud delivered another consistent performance for Akari and led their assault in the opening set, wrapped up by crafty finishes that fooled the entire Capital1 middle blocking crew.

Although some of Akari’s core players are still playing under time management, the second-string reserves showed their improvement as they steered the Chargers during the second set dub.

It was Soyud who held the fort for the Chargers in the opener, and the duo of Ezra Madrigal and Gretchel Soltones joined hands to put Akari in a comfortable 2-0 advantage.

However, disaster struck in the third and final set when the Solar Spikers were close to bagging the frame with a massive nine-point lead.

Too experienced and back in a familiar position after several wars in the past PVL conference, Akari frustrated Capital1 after unleashing a demoralizing 13-2 scoring run, made possible by Soyud, Ivy Lacsina, and Madrigal.

With the ball on play and the Chargers moving to match point, Capital1 just looked deflated and summed up their preseason showing with a winless campaign, 0-5.

Soyud top-scored the Chargers with a game-high 12 points derived from 10 successful attacks alongside seven excellent receptions and a service ace.

Backstopping Soyud’s stellar outing was Madrigal, who added 11 points built from eight successful attacks, while Soltones chipped in nine markers.