Ivy Lacsina of Akari Chargers. PVL.photo
All eyes on Choco Mucho, Akari
COMING off thrilling come-from-behind victories in their respective quarterfinals openers, Choco Mucho and Akari aim for strong starts to sew up the first two semifinal spots in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
The Flying Titans battle PLDT at 4 p.m., while the Chargers play Galeries Tower at 6:30 p.m.
Choco Mucho and Akari hopes to get the job done to reach the Final Four, while a loss leaves them at risk of elimination.
The Flying Titans pulled off a 20-25, 19-25, 25-15, 25-20, 18-16 reverse sweep of the High Speed Hitters in last Saturday’s Game 1.
After losing the first two sets, Choco Mucho mounted an inspired rally behind Sisi Rondina, sealing the decider in extended fashion – a testament to the high-stakes nature of the quarterfinals, where no lead is safe.
The Flying Titans’ bench depth played a key role in the turnaround. Coach Dante Alinsunurin made a bold move, subbing in Mars Alba for Deanna Wong in the third set.
Alba delivered a stellar 16-excellent set performance, along with three points, orchestrating the comeback with composure and precision.
“For me, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. When I stepped in for the third set, I told them, ‘Trust each other. We can do this,’” said Alba, who faced her former F2 Logistics teammates Kim Kianna Dy, Kim Fajardo and Majoy Baron.
Choco Mucho’s offensive spark will be crucial as it seeks to close out the series.
On the other side, PLDT needs to respond with greater consistency and mental toughness. Despite a 25-point performance and 19 receptions from Savi Davison, the High Speed Hitters struggled to finish strong.
“I had some errors, especially in the fourth and third sets, that I need to clean up,” said Davison, who however stressed the need for more contributions across the board.
“Hopefully, in Game 2, more players step up and put points on the board,” she said.
Like the Flying Titans, the Chargers showed remarkable grit in their series’ opening 21-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, 15-11 win over Galeries Tower. After falling behind 1-2 in sets, Akari regrouped, dominated the fourth, and overpowered Galeries Tower in the decider.
“We can’t afford to slow down just because we won Game 1. The job’s not done until we achieve our ultimate goal,” said Ivy Lacsina, who had a career-high 28 points in the opener.
Despite their inexperience, the Highrisers are not backing down. Jewel Encarnacion, who led Galeries Tower with 18 points, acknowledged their struggles in closing out tight sets but remains optimistic.
“Our coaches reminded us that despite the loss, we still pushed the game to five sets. We can’t let disappointment take over. We need to focus on the next game and fight for another chance,” said Encarnacion.
The Highrisers hope to defy the odds once more. Galeries Tower made this far by stunning third-ranked Cignal in the qualifying round.
