Akari powers past F2 in 5

Akari produced the worthiest win five matches into the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference, repelling F2 Logistics with a big start and a blistering windup in the fifth set to pound out a 21-25, 25-20, 27-25, 19-25, 15-8 decision before a stunned Tuesday crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

But Akari coach Jorge Souza de Brito was hardly surprised by his wards’ performance and victory, saying: “We came here not to play but to win.”

And win they did as the Chargers came back strong from a fourth set meltdown by taking the first three points in the decider and finished stronger behind Trisha Genesis and Fifi Sharma to hack out the morale-boosting victory in the first match that went the distance after two playdates of the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

The Cargo Movers did fight back to put the Chargers on pins and needles at 5-6 on an Ivy Lacsina ace but the latter’s hunger proved more decisive than the former’s experience when the going got tougher as Akari pouncedr on an F2 Logistics’ net violation to regain a two-point cushion.

Genesis then delivered a couple of hits, including a clever drop ball that made it 10-6 as the Charges parlayed the Cargo Movers’ couple of miscues to pull away by seven on an Eli Soyud off-speed attack, a Genesis ace and Faith Nisperos’ off-the-block hit set up by Michelle Cobb’s spectacular one-handed save.

The Cargo Movers scored two straight points from Aby Maraño’s hit and Majoy Baron’s block to rally last at 8-13 but Sharma took over and finished off the former with a key block off Myla Pablo and an ace against a napping F2 Logistics defense.

Genesis finished with 13 points to clinch the best player of the game honors but more importantly, the victory more than underscored the Chargers readiness to challenge the best in the record 12-team field.

Dindin Manabat provided not only the firepower but also leadership, coming away with 19 points while Nisperos shone with 18 points, Ezra Madrigal put in a 14-point showing and Sharma matched Genesis’ output for the Chargers, who also beat the Cargo Movers in four sets to close out their campaign in the import-laced Reinforced Conference last year.

Akari’s balanced scoring likewise negated Lacsina’s 26-point explosion with Pablo adding 12 points and Maraño finishing with eight markers and Ara Galang and Joy Dacoron adding six points apiece.

The Chargers produced 59 attack points, seven more than their rivals, had more blocks, 15-12, and aces, 7-3, although they yielded 36 points on unforced errors against the Cargo Movers’ 26.

The victory thus tied Akari with Chery Tiggo, Nxled, Cignal and defending champion Creamline. pvl.ph