Chargers overcome slow start to bolster PVL Top 4 bid

Standings	W	L	Points
PLDT	7	1	20
Cignal	6	2	19
Akari	5	3	15
Creamline	5	2	14
Nxled	4	4	12
Farm Fresh	3	4	11
Choco Mucho	3	5	10
Capital1	3	5	7
Galeries Tower	2	6	6
Zus Coffee	1	7	3

 

Games on Thursday

FilOil Centre

4 p.m. — Nxled vs. PLDT;

6:30 p.m. — Choco Mucho vs. ZUS Coffee

Akari nearly let it slip — but found just enough composure at endgame to turn back a gritty Galeries Tower squad, 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 26-24, in a nerve-wracking Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference clash Tuesday at the Santa Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna.

The Chargers appeared headed for a routine win after taking the first two sets in shaky fashion but unraveled in the third and nearly squandered a commanding lead in the fourth before scrambling at the finish to seal the one-hour, 53-minute triumph.

Despite flashes of complacency and a costly dip in form, Akari extended its streak to five straight wins after opening the tournament with three losses, strengthening its bid for a Top 4 finish in the qualifying round heading into the final stretch of the preliminaries.

The PVL All-Filipino Conference is the league’s premier tournament featuring exclusively Filipino players, with 10 teams competing for the championship in a format that includes a qualifying round, a play-in phase, crossover matches, and semifinals before the title series.

The Top 4 teams will battle for the first two semifinal berths in crossover matches, while the fifth- to 10th-ranked squads will enter a play-in phase — a series of knockout duels — with the top two advancing to face the crossover losers for the last semifinal slots.

Akari’s third-set collapse was a stark contrast to its earlier control, but Galeries Tower capitalized on the shift in momentum and pushed the match to the brink.

The Highrisers, who stayed within striking distance in the first two frames, mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth and threatened to force a deciding set.

Behind the combined efforts of Erika Raagas, Jean Asis, and Erika Deloria, Galeries Tower erased a seven-point deficit at 7-14 and tied the set twice, the last at 20.

The Highrisers also saved two match points, extending both the set and the match and putting the Chargers under heavy pressure.

However, Raagas committed a costly service error after a clutch ace that had kept Galeries Tower alive, and Akari seized the opening.

In the ensuing rally, Eli Soyud delivered the decisive blow, unleashing a blistering crosscourt hit that pierced through the defense to finally end the match.

With the win, Akari improved to 5-3 and climbed to third place, overtaking Creamline, which still had a chance to reclaim the spot with a win over Farm Fresh at press time.

It was far from the Chargers’ form in their previous four-set victory over the Cool Smashers, as they struggled with consistency and execution against a Galeries Tower squad already out of the Top 4 race and preparing for the play-in stage.

The Highrisers dropped to 2-6 but showed fight throughout.

Mars Alba orchestrated Akari’s offense with 27 excellent sets and added four points to earn Best Player of the Game honors, outplaying Galeries Tower counterpart Juju Coronel, who finished with 19 excellent sets.

With Ivy Lacsina limited, Akari leaned on its middle blockers, with Ced Domingo and Fifi Sharma stepping up with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Soyud added 12 markers, including the match-clinching hit.

Statistically, the Chargers were far from dominant. Galeries Tower held a slight edge in attacks, 54-52, and delivered more aces, 6-2, while Akari narrowly led in blocks, 10-9.

Both teams committed 26 errors apiece.

In the end, Akari capitalized on crucial moments, while Galeries Tower faltered under pressure — highlighted by Raagas’ pivotal service miscue.

Still, the Highrisers turned in a commendable performance, with Aiza Pontillas leading the charge with 17 points.

Raagas added 14, Asis chipped in 13, and Deloria contributed 10, underscoring the team’s balanced offensive effort.

Roselle Baliton and Coronel finished with seven and six points, respectively.

Akari did enough to move ahead, but the match underscored a lingering concern — their tendency to ease up against less formidable competition.

While their firepower and experience carried them through, the lapses in focus allowed Galeries Tower to hang around far longer than expected. Against stronger opposition, that kind of complacency could prove far more damaging.