CANDON CITY – Akari’s Grethcel Soltones will be sidelined for at least a week, possibly longer, due to a right-hand strain.
Soltones traveled with the team to Ilocos Sur but sat out during the Chargers’ straight-set loss in their match against Creamline at the Candon City Arena here on Saturday night.
The four-time PVL Best Outside Spiker told reporters she suffered the injury during the team’s training camp in Japan but initially thought it was just a jammed finger.
Soltones played through Akari’s opening win against Galeries Tower and even scored 16 points. However, she began to feel pain in her spiking hand by the third frame of the Chargers’ four-set triumph over ZUS Coffee on November 14.
(C) PVL Images
The three-time NCAA MVP battled through the discomfort and finished with 10 points in the victory over the Thunderbelles.
After a medical evaluation, Soltones was diagnosed with a strained right hand. She is targeting a return to the Taraflex next Saturday when Akari faces Farm Fresh at the Philsports Arena.
The former PVL Finals MVP’s all-around game was sorely missed by the Chargers in their 26-24, 25-17, 25-16 loss to the Cool Smashers.
Erika Raagas took her place in the starting lineup and delivered a team-high 11 points, but Akari still fell to 2-1 in the standings.
