Akari powered up its final drive toward a Top 6 finish heading into the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference playoffs, delivering a dominant performance in a 25-9, 25-17, 26-24 victory over Capital1 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Saturday.
Despite battling inconsistency in a prolonged, challenge-filled third set, the Chargers displayed resilience and composure in the clutch. Rallying from two set points down, they fought back to secure a hard-earned 42-minute set victory – completing the sweep in just an hour and 30 minutes.
Winning a crucial "reaching beyond the net" challenge, the Chargers fended off a second set point at 24 before Fifi Sharma denied Trisha Genesis’ attack. Moments later, Faith Nisperos delivered the decisive kill, sealing the victory for Akari – its second straight win – and improving its record to 5-4, tying idle Chery Tiggo for fifth place in the standings.
With an aggressive offense and well-orchestrated plays, the Chargers dictated the tempo from the opening serve, hardly giving the struggling Solar Spikers room to breathe. The first-set rout was a statement of intent, signaling Akari’s growing confidence, cohesion and killer instinct – all key elements as they push for a stronger finish in the elimination round.
The Chargers, who also steamrolled past the Nxled Chameleons last week, now set their sights on two crucial matches – against the Choco Mucho Flying Titans on Feb. 8 and the Cignal HD Spikers on Feb. 18 – to secure a favorable playoff position.
For Akari, it was another dominant, confidence-boosting victory, and once again, Ivy Lacsina led the charge. Delivering a stellar 15-point performance, she earned another Best Player of the Game honors.
"We were more patient in the first set to break our habit of slow starts." said Lacsina in Filipino, emphasizing the team’s determination to come out stronger from the outset.
When asked about the key to their straight-sets triumph, she credited discipline and teamwork:
"We just followed the game plan, made adjustments on the court, and supported each other," she said.
With crucial battles ahead against two of the league’s powerhouse squads, Lacsina knows the work is far from over.
"This win is a big morale booster, but we won’t stop working. It’s back to the drawing board and following coach Taka (Minowa)’s game plan," added Lacsina, reaffirming the team’s commitment to continuous improvement as they chase a strong finish in the eliminations.
Eli Soyud backed her up with 12 markers while Nisperos and Sharma finished with eight and six points, respectively.
Genesis led Capital1 with 14 points, while Shola Alvarez shone with seven markers in a late third set appearance as the Solar Spikers fell to 1-7.
With its offense clicking and its defensive schemes holding strong, Akari is peaking at the right time. The Chargers’ balance of firepower, teamwork and mental toughness makes them a legitimate threat as they move closer to the knockout stage, where the No. 1 seed faces No. 12, No. 2 takes on No. 11, and so on.
If they sustain this level of performance, Akari could be a dangerous team come playoff time – a squad not just aiming for the Top 6 but ready to shake up the title chase.
The Chargers’ dominance was particularly evident in the spiking department, where they not only outgunned Capital1, 42-31, but also maintained exceptional attacking efficiency, maximizing scoring opportunities while minimizing errors. Their ability to seamlessly transition from defense to offense kept Capital1 off balance, forcing the Solar Spikers into a reactive stance for most of the match.
Akari also gained 25 free points from Capital1’s unforced errors while conceding 16 points of its own.
While Capital1 managed to outscore Akari in spikes in the second set, 15-13, their inability to sustain momentum proved costly. Costly errors, lapses in defensive positioning, and struggles in basic execution frustrated coach Roger Gorayeb, who did not mince words in expressing his disappointment.
"They're not doing anything special, so I don't understand why you can't defend against their open attacks,” Gorayeb lamented in Filipino, reflecting his squad’s struggles in handling even the Chargers’ simpler offensive schemes.
Despite a commanding lead in the match, Akari faced a momentary challenge in the third set as Alvarez spearheaded a spirited fightback for Capital1. The Solar Spikers seized a 13-10 advantage, igniting hopes of extending the contest.
However, just as Capital1 seemed poised to turn the tide, Lacsina took matters into her own hands. Unleashing four consecutive attacks – all targeting the same spot in Zone 1 – she single-handedly swung the momentum back to Akari. Her final kill in the sequence came after the Chargers foiled three straight Capital1 attempts, securing a 14-13 lead.
Frustrated by his team's lapses, Gorayeb did not hold back in expressing his disappointment.
“Don't just stand there staring... the attack was good, then suddenly it just fizzled out," he fumed, as his players apologized for their mistakes.
But Gorayeb, though visibly exasperated, made sure to get his point across with a touch of humor:
"All you do is apologize, but we won't win with your apologies," he said.
