Photo: PVL
Akari fell short in a heartbreaking five-set loss to ZUS Coffee, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 12-25, 7-15, to close out the preliminary round of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday.
It was a tough pill to swallow for the Chargers, who looked poised to hand the Thunderbelles their first defeat of the conference after taking the first two sets behind the steady play of import Annie Mitchem and veteran Eli Soyud. But despite a promising start, Akari could not sustain its momentum as errors piled up and ZUS Coffee’s rhythm came alive in the latter frames.
Mitchem once again led Akari’s attack with 27 points, showcasing her power and versatility on the wing. Soyud added 15 markers, providing early stability on offense and keeping the Thunderbelles’ defense on its toes through the opening sets.
Setter Mars Alba managed 23 excellent sets and orchestrated the offense efficiently early on, mixing quick hits and pipe plays to keep ZUS Coffee guessing. However, as the match wore on, the Chargers struggled to maintain their tempo against the Thunderbelles’ improving block and floor coverage.
Akari’s first two sets were marked by strong service pressure and disciplined blocking, limiting ZUS Coffee’s options and forcing unforced errors. But from the third set onward, the Chargers’ own miscues began to mount. They finished with 32 errors—nearly triple their opponent’s total—a difference that proved too costly in the long run.
Despite the loss, Akari still secured the No. 3 seed entering the next phase of the preliminaries, edging Petro Gazz via a superior sets-won ratio after both teams ended with 3-2 records.
