Akari shuts down Galeries Tower to stretch win streak to five

STA ROSA, March 18 ------ Akari moved closer to a qualifying round berth after scoring a 25-23, 25-23, 14-25, 26-24 win over Galeries Tower in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex.

It took three match points before the Chargers could put away a gutsy Highrisers side, leaning on Eli Soyud’s cross-court kill to end the match in four sets. Playing in the league’s first game day at the Laguna venue in two years, Akari stretched its run to five straight wins after opening the conference with three straight losses.

The Chargers are now one win away from clinching a top four spot for a chance to fight for an outright semifinals berth in the next round. The loss, meanwhile, was the Highrisers’ fourth straight, dropping them to 2-6 and into the play-in stage alongside ZUS Coffee and four yet-to-be determined teams. “Buti nairaos namin nang maayos,” said Akari head coach Tina Salak. “’Yung recovery ang hinahanap namin ngayon at kita naman sa galaw, pero moving forward, maganda tignan sa eyes ‘yung ranking, so ‘yun ‘yung motivation namin.”

It was far from a one-sided start as Galeries Tower kept pace with Akari, staying within striking distance throughout the opening set. From a 22-all deadlock, Ced Domingo delivered two of the Chargers’ last three points, while a successful block touch challenge also went Akari’s way to steal the set.

The same tight contest carried into the second, where Aiza Maizo-Pontillas erased two Akari set points before Fifi Sharma and Soyud combined to finish off another narrow win. Galeries Tower finally broke through in the third, responding with a dominant run that saw them lead by as many as 13, 24-11. Despite Akari saving three set points, Erika Deloria closed it out to keep the Highrisers alive. The fourth set saw Galeries Tower jump to a 5-1 start and later force a 24-all deadlock, but they couldn’t extend it further. A service error from former Charger Erika Raagas, coming right after a clutch ace and a Soyud hit, sealed the win for Akari.

Akari’s middle blockers led the way, with Domingo and Sharma scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively, both anchored by four blocks each. Soyud added 12 points, while an under-the-weather Grethcel Soltones still chipped in eight, just ahead of Ivy Lacsina’s seven points and 19 receptions. Setter Mars Alba orchestrated the balanced attack with 27 excellent sets and four points. Pontillas paced Galeries Tower with 17 points, with Raagas adding 14 and Jean Asis contributing 13. Deloria’s all-around effort of 10 points, 12 digs, and nine receptions went to waste in the loss.

Source: spin.ph