Photo: PVL
Akari continued its strong start in the PVL Reinforced Conference, pulling off a thrilling 25-11, 22-25, 29-27, 17-25, 15-7 win over Chery Tiggo on Tuesday night at the Araneta Coliseum. The victory marked the Chargers’ second straight five-set triumph and kept them on top of Pool B.
Middle blocker Ced Domingo anchored Akari’s decisive fifth-set surge, scoring three crucial points that turned a narrow 6-4 edge into a commanding lead the Chargers never surrendered. Her composure and timely plays in the clutch allowed Akari to close out the two-hour, 16-minute match with authority.
Justine Jazareno also delivered a standout performance for Akari, stabilizing the defense with 27 excellent digs. Her early saves in the fifth set helped swing momentum back to the Chargers, who capitalized on every opportunity to frustrate the Crossovers.
The victory mirrored Akari’s resilient showing against defending champion Creamline last weekend, where the Chargers also recovered from a sluggish fourth set to dominate in the decider. Against Chery Tiggo, Domingo and Jazareno led the charge, showcasing Akari’s growing poise and maturity in high-pressure moments.
Annie Mitchem contributed 17 points following her 33-point explosion against Creamline, while Eli Soyud matched her output with 17 markers. Domingo added 16 points built on five blocks, while Fifi Sharma chipped in 10 and Grethcel Soltones tallied eight, several of which came at crucial stretches in the fifth set.
Setter Mars Alba steered the offense efficiently, finishing with 21 excellent sets to orchestrate a balanced attack that kept Chery Tiggo’s defense on its heels.
The win highlighted Akari’s steady growth under head coach Tina Salak, who continues to emphasize composure and teamwork in tight matches. With the victory, the Chargers improved to 2-0 in Pool B and will aim for a third consecutive win when they face Petro Gazz on October 23 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Chery Tiggo, which fell to 0-2, put up a strong fight behind Cess Robles’ 20 points and Yani Batista’s 17 but struggled with errors in the endgame. The Crossovers also missed the presence of middle blocker Imee Hernandez, who is recovering from a knee injury. They will look to bounce back against Petro Gazz this Saturday at the Capital Arena in Ilagan City.
Despite the loss, libero Karen Verdeflor stood out for Chery Tiggo with 18 excellent receptions and 17 digs. The Crossovers, however, fell short in key departments, yielding 53-59 in attacks and allowing 12 service aces compared to their three.
