Akari and Cignal now have the luxury of time to either rest or sharpen their strategies as they await their semifinal opponents in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
But for the top two seeds, which narrowly avoided upsets in the knockout quarterfinals over the weekend, there’s no time to relax – only time to work, work and work to maintain their momentum and competitive edge.
The Chargers, rebounding from a sluggish opening set, swept the next three to edge out the eighth-seeded Farm Fresh Foxies in a victory that was anything but easy. Just as they had done during their remarkable sweep of the two-phase eliminations, which included reverse sweeps against some of the league’s top contenders, Akari once again showcased its resilience.
Despite reasserting their strength in the second set to level the match, the Chargers had to dig deep, displaying tremendous courage and spirit to fend off the Foxies’ relentless challenge in the subsequent sets, eventually sealing a 17-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23 win.
The two-hour, five-minute victory not only extended Akari’s winning streak to nine games but also brought the Chargers within one win of a breakthrough finals appearance – and two victories away from achieving a historic first-ever championship sweep.
But Akari isn’t looking too far ahead, its immediate focus is on overcoming either PLDT or Chery Tiggo in the semis, another do-or-die stage.
“For others, reaching this point is already historic, but as long as we haven’t held the trophy, we haven’t proven anything,” said Akari’s top local Grethcel Soltones in Filipino.
The seasoned campaigner, along with powerful hitter Ivy Lacsina, has been providing not just firepower but also leadership for a team determined to defy the odds and achieve a milestone season. Soltones emphasized that their reliance on each other has been key to staying on top.
“It’s all about motivation,” Soltones added. “It’s about the hard work we’ve put in as a team. We didn’t get here by taking things easy. My teammates inspire me, and when the battle gets tough, you look for someone to lean on.”
The team’s prized import, Oly Okaro, echoed Soltones’ sentiments: “We’re so motivated because it’s all or nothing at this point. We just need to fix some things from our last game.”
Okaro, who has been a key figure in Akari’s success, added: “I came here to make an impact, as all imports do. We work really hard to ensure that I’m improving, not just for myself but for the team. The results show that, together, we’re getting closer to the goal we have in mind.”
Lacsina also highlighted the importance of staying positive and maintaining communication on the court.
“We need to stay happy because when we’re chasing the game, we tend to go quiet and wait for someone else to take over,” she said in Filipino. “So, from the start, someone has to step up. The pressure is only going to get heavier.”
Meanwhile, Cignal had to fight back to avert a near-collapse after leading by two sets against the eighth-seeded Capital1 side. The HD Spikers eventually secured a 25-19, 36-34, 16-25, 22-25, 15-12 victory, advancing to the semis.
But the road to another final appearance is fraught with challenges, particularly with potential matches against either the Creamline Cool Smashers or the Petro Gazz Angels on the horizon.
“We’re so blessed to have reached this far. I’m proud of this team, for the effort they put in both in training and in games. They always play all-out, and when you push them, they respond well, and the results show that,” said Cignal mentor Shaq delos Santos.
Venezuelan import MJ Perez has been the embodiment of the team’s belief in themselves and its readiness to go all the way, redeeming itself from a final loss to Petro Gazz in 2022.
Reflecting on their quarterfinal match against the Solar Spikers, where they overcame Marina Tushova’s record-setting 50-point performance, Perez said: “I never thought we were going to lose. My mindset has always been positive. I kept telling my teammates, ‘This is ours,’ because we’ve been working so hard and fighting, and we deserve to win.”
Perez also credited her teammates for their collective effort:
“It was hard, but I stayed positive. I know we have good middles, a great setter. It’s all about teamwork, that’s why I always stay positive,” she said, referring to Riri Meneses, Jackie Acuña, playmaker Gel Cayuna, Ces Molina, Roselyn Doria and Chin Basas, among others.
“I’m super blessed and grateful that we’ve made it to the semis, especially thanks to our coaches for pushing us,” said Acuña, who capped her eight-point performance with a decisive block against Tushova that sealed their semifinal berth.
For Meneses, who delivered a standout 21-point game, including seven blocks, against Capital1, the determination to win was unyielding.
“We’re in a good position, so we weren’t going to let ourselves be knocked out. We gave it our all, and I’m thankful that it paid off because our team really held on and didn’t waste the hard work we’ve put in,” she said in Filipino.
However, both Akari and Cignal know that reaching the semifinals is just the beginning.
“The job is still not yet done. There’s a lot of work to do, but this is the first step, and we knew this wasn’t going to be easy,” Perez said. “We have to keep our target, which is to be in the finals and win.”
