Photo: PVL
Akari’s streak of come-from-behind victories came to a halt on Thursday night after falling to Petro Gazz in a gripping five-set battle, 27-29, 22-25, 25-19, 25-17, 11-15, in the PVL Reinforced Conference at the FilOil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.
The Chargers once again showed their trademark fight, clawing back from a two-set deficit to force a decider for the third straight match. But this time, the breaks of the game went the other way as the seasoned Angels leaned on experience and composure to fend off Akari’s late push.
After dropping the first two sets in tight finishes, Akari rediscovered its rhythm in the third and fourth frames. Import Annie Mitchem and middle blockers Fifi Sharma and Ced Domingo sparked the turnaround, combining for strong attacks and solid net defense that completely shifted the momentum. The Chargers’ energy and execution tightened up, while Petro Gazz struggled to respond to Akari’s renewed aggression.
Mitchem’s consistent scoring continued to anchor the Chargers’ offense. She finished with a game-high 30 points built on a mix of power and precision. Sharma delivered another standout performance in the middle with 18 points, while Eli Soyud and Domingo added 14 and 13, respectively, in a balanced attack that kept Petro Gazz under pressure throughout the match.
Setter Mars Alba once again steered the offense with poise, distributing the ball efficiently to keep the Angels’ blockers guessing. Despite the loss, Akari actually outplayed Petro Gazz in total attacks, 76-65, and in service aces, 7-4, showing that the Chargers stayed aggressive and efficient for most of the contest.
However, key errors in the deciding frame proved costly. After falling behind 3-7 in the fifth, Akari rallied to within one at 6-7, but Petro Gazz’s championship poise showed in the closing stretch. The Angels tightened their defense at the net and pulled away behind timely hits and strong blocking, sealing the match after two hours and 19 minutes.
The setback dropped Akari to 2-1 in Pool B, ending its run of back-to-back five-set wins over Creamline and Chery Tiggo. Still, the Chargers remain well within striking distance of a top-three finish as they continue to show steady improvement under head coach Tina Salak’s system.
Akari will look to regroup quickly as it heads into its next assignment determined to return to the win column and strengthen its bid for a semifinal berth in the Reinforced Conference.
