Top-ranked Akari stumbled in the first set but quickly regained their winning form, defeating eighth-seeded Farm Fresh in four sets, 17-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23, to advance to the semifinals of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday.
The Chargers, who extended their unbeaten streak to nine matches this conference, will await the winner between No. 4 PLDT and No. 5 Chery Tiggo.
With this victory, Akari also secured a spot in the Invitational Conference, joining Cignal.
“We took some time and lost the first set, but from the second set onward, our players gradually found their groove. Maybe it’s about the pressure. These three players— Ivy, Grethcel, and Oly— are the most important,” said Chargers head coach Taka Minowa, who even lay down on the floor after the match in extreme happiness.
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Eli Soyud came off the bench and provided a much-needed spark for the Chargers in the fourth set when they were trailing 8-14.
After Soyud entered the game, Akari launched a massive 12-2 rally to shift the momentum in their favor, taking a 20-16 lead.
The Foxies fought back and tied the game at 23, but Grethcel Soltones and Cams Victoria delivered clutch hits for the Chargers to secure the win with a down-the-line attack and a solid block on Kate Santiago.
American import Oly Okaro and Soltones led Akari with 17 points each, with Soltones also contributing 10 receptions and nine digs.
Kamille Cal made her full return after being sidelined by a knee injury, recording 14 excellent sets and two points, while Dani Ravena, who suffered an apparent leg injury in the fourth set, still finished with 17 digs and 10 receptions.
The semifinals will be held on Thursday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
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Trisha Tubu led the Foxies with 15 points, all from attacks, while Cait Viray and Colombian reinforcement Yeny Murillo added 12 points each.
