Photo from: PVL
One last push wasn’t enough.
The Akari Chargers saw their PVL On Tour campaign come to an end on Wednesday night, falling to the Cignal HD Spikers in straight sets, 25‑20, 25‑11, 28‑26, at the Philsports Arena on Thursday night.
It was a bitter pill to swallow, especially with how the Chargers fought tooth and nail in the third set, pushing Cignal to the limit before a challenge on Erika Santos’ attack was ruled unsuccessful, sealing the match in heartbreaking fashion.
Veteran outside hitter Eli Soyud paced Akari with 13 points, while Ced Domingo added 11 points composed of nine attacks and two blocks. Ivy Lacsina was limited to four markers as the Chargers couldn’t recover from a lopsided second set that saw them fall behind early, 8-2.
Akari struggled to find its rhythm against a surging Cignal side led by Erika Santos, who exploded for 24 points built on 22 attacks, one block, and one ace. Santos, who recently dropped 30 points in a previous match, once again proved too much to handle for the Chargers’ defense.
The loss ends a campaign that showed both promise and growing pains. The Chargers made headlines last season with their surprising run to the 2024 Reinforced Conference Finals, where they clinched silver, then followed it up with a bronze medal finish in the subsequent All-Filipino Conference. Riding that momentum, Akari entered the PVL On Tour looking to further solidify their standing among the league’s contenders.
Though their PVL On Tour stint ended earlier than hoped, the experience adds another layer to the team’s development under head coach Tina Salak. With a mix of young talent and experienced leaders, the Chargers will look to regroup and come back stronger in the next conference.
