05-07-2025
Akari finally ends slump in PVL On Tour with five-set escape vs. ZUS
Akari needed to survive a grueling affair against a pesky ZUS Coffee to finally break through in the 2025 PVL On Tour, escaping with a 26-24, 25-21, 17-25, 17-25, 17-15 win on Saturday at the Ynares Center Montalban.
The Chargers improved to 1-2 after opening the preseason contest with back-to-back losses to Cignal and Creamline. The Thunderbelles, meanwhile, had a tough way to open their campaign as they fell to 0-1.
Grethcel Soltones led the way for the hungry Akari, flirting with a triple-double of 23 points, 11 digs, and nine receptions as they turned back ZUS to barge into the win column.
The veteran outside spiker unloaded a strong kill that saw Akari taking a slim 8-7 lead before another seasoned wing spiker in Eli Soyud came alive to further extend the lead.
The opposite spiker converted three straight points, including a pair of attacks and a rejection on Chinnie Arroyo, before Soltones made something out of an out-of-system setup from Ezra Madrigal to make it a 12-9 lead.
But ZUS fought back thanks to middle blocker Maika Ortiz, whose two consecutive blocks powered a 3-0 run for a 12-all deadlock. Akari was the first to clinch the match point, but an attack error from Chenie Tagaod saw the game knotted at 15-all once more.
Ced Domingo then completed a running play before Kate Santiago went wide on their combination play as Akari gutted out the hard-fought victory.
In the first game, Chery Tiggo opened its On Tour debut in style after overcoming a slow start to pull off a 20-25, 25-23, 25-12, 25-12 victory over the struggling Capital1.
Cess Robles led with 17 points and nine digs while rookies Baby Jyne Soreño and Renee Peñafiel impressed with 15 and 11 markers apiece as they kept the Solar Spikers winless at 0-3.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
