By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Akari Chargers pulled off another come-from-behind win to repel the Galeries Tower Highrisers in five grueling sets, 19-25, 25-20, 16-25, 25-20, 15-12, and formalized their semifinal entry in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference playoffs on March 20, 2025.
Just like their Game 1 quarterfinal clash, the Chargers also went down with an early 1-2 set deficit but managed to remain on the same page and execute the much-needed adjustments in the final two sets.
Hounded by early defensive miscues and unforced errors, Akari failed to deliver their promise of starting the game strong as Galeries took advantage of their sloppiness offensively.
Ivy Lacsina, who was unstoppable during Game 1, became the point of emphasis in the Galeries’ defense as most of her attempts got swatted away or went out of the line.
Lacsina’s dismal outing proved to be a blessing in disguise, somehow, for the Chargers as the duo of Eli Soyud and Faith Nisperos picked up the slack midway through the second set.
From predictable offensive sets to Lacsina, Akari’s attack became more explosive after Nisperos took care of the backline while Soyud dominated with her cross-court prowess and running spikes.
The duo’s emergence steered Akari back into the game, but it wasn’t easy as Galeries struck back in the third to move a win away from forcing a series decider.
However, Akari’s playoff experience helped them clinch the fourth set, with Gretchel Soltones joining the spiking party with back-to-back crucial hits in the final five-game possessions.
It seemed like the Chargers were looking to run away with a lopsided win after establishing a 9-4 advantage at the start of the fifth set but Galeries roared back and countered with their own 5-0 scoring run that equalized the final frame at 9-all.
When Akari needed someone to step up and provide the game-changing points, Soyud answered the call once again and converted a clutch spike that pushed their lead to 13-11.
Putting the cherry on top for Akari’s semifinal-clinching win was Nisperos, who soared above the net to hammer the game-winning point.
Soyud maintained her consistent playoff campaign after leading the Chargers with 20 points built from 18 successful attacks alongside a service ace and a block.
Nisperos, who barely played in the first meeting, capped off the win with an explosive 15-point outing derived from 14 successful attacks. The former Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) standout also flaunted her much-improved floor defense and tallied 13 excellent digs.
The Chargers will be joined by the Choco Mucho Flying Titans as the first two teams to secure a PVL semifinal seat, who earlier outdueled the PLDT High-Speed Hitters in a thrilling five-set dub.
Choco Mucho Edges PLDT to Reach Semis
Choco Mucho clinched a thrilling semifinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference with a gritty 25-15, 12-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-13 win over PLDT at the Philsports Arena on Thursday night.
Sisi Rondina, denied in two previous attempts, sealed the epic five-set victory with a powerful hit through two PLDT defenders, collapsing to the floor in tears as the Flying Titans erupted in celebration.
The win improved Choco Mucho’s unbeaten record in five-set matches to 6-0 and capped a redemption arc for a squad that struggled early in the league’s record six-month-long conference.
Setter Mars Alba again played a pivotal role, following up her heroic performance in Choco Mucho’s quarterfinal comeback against Cignal with 22 excellent sets and seven points—including a clutch off-speed hit to break a 13-all tie in the fifth set.
“Grabe! Kudos to our team and coaches. We started from the bottom, and now we’re here!” said Alba, who earned another Best Player of the Game award.
Rondina led Choco Mucho with 21 points, while Royse Tubino contributed 15.
Isa Molde added eight markers, while Maika Ortiz and Cherry Nunag chipped in seven apiece—matching Alba’s surprising scoring output.
Ortiz also had a crucial quick hit to give Choco Mucho a 10-9 edge in Set 5 before exiting with an apparent injury.
Despite the loss, PLDT pushed Choco Mucho to the brink with another five-set battle—echoing their heartbreaking Reinforced Conference semifinal loss last year.
Savi Davison led all scorers with 34 points, matching her career high, including a fourth-set surge and an early 4-0 lead in the decider.
However, three critical errors by Davison shifted the momentum and allowed Choco Mucho back into the match.
A Rondina ace put the Flying Titans up 6-5, followed by a net infraction by Dell Palomata to widen the lead to 9-6.
PLDT clawed back to tie at 9-all, and after a 13-11 Choco Mucho lead—partly due to a controversial net touch by Kim Dy upheld by a challenge—Davison responded with her 33rd point to level the score once more.
Coach Dante Alinsunurin then made a bold move, calling on Alba to attack.
“I didn’t expect that coach would make me a spiker. But whatever ball is given to me, I will find a way to help the team,” Alba said in Filipino.
That point set up match point for Choco Mucho, and Rondina finished the job with a signature blast that sealed the Flying Titans’ spot in the round-robin semifinals.
Majoy Baron finished with 17 points for PLDT, while Erika Santos added 13 and Fiola Ceballos chipped in 11.
Though falling short again in a five-set heartbreaker, PLDT walked off the court with heads held high after delivering a high-octane, emotionally charged battle.
